The Mountain Radical

Dear Editor:

Last week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, published its 2013 report.  Scientists from 195 countries participated.  You can read it for yourself at: http://www.ipcc.ch/. Human influence on the climate system is clear.  The report states:  “Warming in the climate system is unequivocal and since 1950 many changes have been observed throughout the climate system that are unprecedented over decades to millennia. Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850 …”

 When meteorologist, Eric Holthaus, who has covered weather for the Wall Street Journal, read the IPCC report he wept.  Eric’s response reminded me of the September afternoon in Washington, D. C. several years ago when I was hand cuffed in a police van with five other activists. We were part of the 1153 citizens who were arrested at the White House during climate action to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.   While waiting, one of our fellow activists, Richard, suggested that we share our reasons for risking arrest.  We all spoke but when it was Richard’s turn he choked up and began sobbing.  It was chilling to watch a grown man reduced to tears. In his mind he saw what was in store for us unless we cut carbon emissions and move to renewable energy.  Rich was  like the “Weeping Prophet” Jeremiah, who saw what was coming and fell into despair that his warnings were not being heeded.

What can we do?  Human activity is changing earth’s atmosphere.  We must stop it.  The first step is to draw the line.  Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.  The President will make this decision in the coming year.  Write to him.  Tell him no pipeline.  Our country can take a lead in preventing this human made catastrophe.