What can I say about the People’s Climate March except that, it, was a huge success.
According to EDF, (a very prominent Environmental NGO), “People’s Climate March was incredible — with over 400,000 in the streets of New York City and thousands at satellite actions across the world to demand action on climate change.” The march was held to coincide with the opening of the United Nations’ Climate Summit, being held in NYC this year.
Huffington Post states, “ At times, the march stretched more than 4 miles as marchers carried banners, signs and entire contraptions depicting everything from Mother Earth herself to the dinosaurs that now make up fossil fuels. “
Since the March was ending near our apartment, we were able to see the marchers as they opposed the end line (34th street and 11th ave). We were fortunate enough to witness a native Indian prayer ceremony to mother earth.
The march had 6 themes to it, which are as below:
“We Need Everyone”
“The Debate Is Over”
“We Know Who Is Responsible,”
“We Have Solutions,”
“We Can Build the Future” and
“Frontlines of Crisis,”
This link here has some pretty amazing pictures of the march.
I was fortunate enough to take some of my own. My favorites are below and the rest are on my flickr account.
One of the bigger issue that was being broadcast was against fracking. In fact the issue has become so controversial that it has its own event. On Oct 11 2014, there will be what is known as a ‘The Global Frackdown’, asking decision makers we call on decision makers in our communities and across the world to reject fracking — for our health, for our communities and for our climate.
The main concerns against fracking are pretty significant ones- first the pollution of water, which includes drinking water, and second the release of methane (the natural gas in the shale rocks being fracked).
First is due to the chemicals that are released into the water body to blast the shale rocks (these rocks are what house the natural gas). Second is due to the potential leak of the natural gas both while being transmitted and while the actual fracking takes place.
I was fortunate to participate and definitely inspired by the walk. So this is how history is made and how for a few hours in a lifetime we all become part of history. Hopefully there will be more than one generation alive to read about this historical march.
#2014 nyc, #climate march2014, #people's climate march2014, #UN climate summit2014, #sustainabilityinnyc
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