Donald Trump has been president for 100 days. Around the country people are marching for “Climate, Jobs and Justice.” James Poulson from the Sentinel said this was part of the President’s “Make America Fit Again” campaign.
About 100 Sitkans marched from the Crescent Harbor shelter, around the Russian Church and back down Lincoln Street to the Episcopal See House. Motorists, not expecting a parade, drove around St. Michael’s Cathedral and stopped dead when they met the parade head on. Most continued all the way around the church going back the way they came, some parked and waited and some continued down the street passing the parade going the other way. The Bells at St. Michael’s were ringing in a pattern of threes and fours as the parade circled the church. It was beautiful. After I took pictures of the parade approaching I joined the back end as it circled. I was holding my little sign
“‘Ignoring Climate Change will be the most costly of all possible choices, both for us and our children” Peter Ewins, British Meteorological Office.”
Suzi made it for me, it was just short enough to fit into a tweet, which I thought was necessary if the President were to want to read it. James and Emily, the press pool, took my picture. While it would fit in a tweet, it might be a little longer than should be on a demonstration sign, which are supposed to be immediately comprehensible. But we Sitkans expect you to stop and read.
“Today’s Rate of Cryosphere Warming suggests that a march down Lincoln Street may not be possible at high tide 75 years from now!”
See… or:
CO2 + Water = 0 Fish. Stop Ocean Acidification & Climate Change. Learn More: www.sitkaglobalwarming.org
OK, most of the signs were brief and to the point, but I like it that we try to put some meat into our message.
At the See House we had cookies, tea and apple juice, which I spilled all over my shirt when I saw something and lifted my camera to take a picture and forgot I also had the glass in my hand.
We visited tables representing the Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka Electric Vehicles, which suggests that we “Drive on Rain” (Sitka’s electricity comes from Hydro power), The Citizens Climate initiative, working to support a carbon tax with the proceeds being rebated to all citizens equally, and the Sitka Global Warming Group, working on to get people to use reusable bags at the grocery. They operate “reusable bag libraries” at each of the Sitka Grocery Stores.
We may be a little town but we like being part of the big picture, and no one in America experiences first hand Global Warming more than Alaskans.
