The Climate March — Fun, Inspiring, and HOT

My daughter Heidi and I went to the Climate March last Saturday.  She lives outside of Philadelphia in New Jersey, so I flew up to her house, and we went down in a bus sponsored by a nearby Lutheran church.  It was truly an inspiring day, and I wanted to blog about it.  But how could I relate it to “Reflections on Reading and Writing”?

 

“Well,” Heidi said, “the quote on our banner is from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. That’s a book.”

“Of course,” I said. “It’s perfect.”  The Lorax, I remembered, is a story that lets children see what happens when we don’t protect the nature that surrounds us.  What I had forgotten, and looked up when I got home, is that Dr. Seuss wrote that book way back in 1971. The quote we used on our banner is:

“Unless someone like you cares a
     whole awful lot,
 Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” 

After a two-and-a-half-hour ride on the bus and a short metro ride, we were there at the march! We found ourselves first with the scientists and educators, who carried a big banner, Defenders of the Truth, and then walked up the line to the Guardians of the Future group—kids, parents, older people, youth and students. After that, we lost track of which group we were with as we wandered on our own.  Not that it mattered.  Everyone was there for the same reason—to call attention to climate change and protest the proposed gutting of environmental protections. 

This was the first time I’ve joined a large protest, so you have to know that I “care a whole awful lot” about this administration’s threats to our world.  Clean air, clean water, chemical-free food, not to mention the dangers of global warming and climate change—how can any of that be controversial?  But it seems to be, so it was a great feeling to be in Washington surrounded by so many people who also care.  Our numbers and commitment have to make a difference.

As someone who loves words, I had a lot of fun reading signs.  Here are some of my favorites:

There is no Planet B.

The good thing about science is that it’s true, whether you believe it or not.

Every year of my life has set a record. (Held by a little girl.)

91 degrees in April is NOT normal. (The National Weather Service said it was 19 degrees above normal.)

The oceans are rising and so are we.

If 97 doctors said you had a heart attack and three said you didn’t, who would you listen to?

Yes, it was HOT, really hot, but how fitting to have extreme heat for the Climate March.  By the time we reached the White House, I was sweaty and exhausted, but exactly where I wanted to be.

Anyone want to join me next time?