Step it up!

Get out there on the street! 12

Step It UpToday is the day!

Across the United States, in more than 1,300 communities, citizens are gathering together at local grassroots events to send a clear message to Congress: Step it up. Pass legislation that will insure an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The world's eyes are upon us.

Go here to find an event in your area.

Later today, after I get a little sleep, I will be attempting to chronicle at least some portion of what promises to be a historical occasion. If you're able, post an account of your community's events in comments on this thread. I'd also love to receive your pictures -- email them to me or point me to where they're posted. I'll be poaching a lot of material off of the Step It Up website, where you can also upload stuff.

Updates to come. Now get out there, and as Bill McKibben concluded in his final message to organizers last night: Don't forget to smile!

Update [2007-4-14 10:3:22 by David Roberts]: I'm awake!

This isn't good: a huge storm tore across Texas and up through Kansas today, causing two deaths and possibly flooding later today on the New York coast.

Here's New Orleans yesterday:

Step It Up in New Orleans

Update [2007-4-14 10:22:53 by David Roberts]: Where's the media coverage? Nothing on NYT, WaPo, L.A. Times, CNN, Fox ... for now, if you want to know what's happening, go here.

Update [2007-4-14 10:39:8 by David Roberts]: One of the coolest events today promises to be the Sea of People in Manhattan: "the Sea Of People will take over Lower Manhattan along a 10-foot elevation line or “future sea level” zone — we need your help to make this line a powerful visual statement — WEAR BLUE, bring bubbles, scuba gear, beach balls, etc. Have fun with it!" Here's the video trailer:

Update [2007-4-14 13:1:50 by David Roberts]: Dang, I shoulda had Grist fly my out to cover this protest in San Juan:

Step It Up in Puerto Rico

Update [2007-4-14 15:13:39 by David Roberts]: Man, reading these accounts, it looks like the national weather really didn't cooperate today -- everywhere it's cold, windy, and rainy.

Check out the clever people-writing at Clemson University:

Step It Up at Clemson

Update [2007-4-14 15:20:3 by David Roberts]: Here are some hearty backcountry skiers who hiked 5.5 miles up to the summit of Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks:

Step It Up in the Adirondacks

Update [2007-4-14 18:3:37 by David Roberts]: Pictures from Manhattan's Sea of People:

Step It Up: Sea of People

Update [2007-4-14 18:13:35 by David Roberts]: Still nothing on the home pages of the New York Times, CNN, the Washington Post, or the L.A. Times.

Update [2007-4-14 18:47:47 by David Roberts]: Well I'll be damned! A Step It Up event in my home town, Cookeville, Tenn.:

Step It Up in Cookeville, TN

I never thought I'd see the day.

David Roberts is staff writer for Grist. You can follow his Twitter feed at twitter.com/drgrist.

Related Stories

Advertisement
Advertisement
  1. Katharine Wroth's avatar

    Katharine Wroth Posted 1:20 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Step It Up in BostonIt's Patriot's Day weekend in Boston -- a definitive spring landmark that finds marathoners trying out the city streets in anticipation of Monday's race; Red Sox fans flocking to Fenway from all around; and tourists reading aloud from guidebooks and staring up, up, up at the John Hancock and Prudential towers. Today it's sunny, with a wind just strong enough to remind you that it's April in New England. Boston Common, the sprawling gathering ground smack in the middle of the city, will be the site of this afternoon's centralized Step It Up rally. (There are others going on in towns and cities all over -- when I put my zip code in, the site offered me 72 events within about 30-40 miles.)
    I swung by this morning and chatted with the organizers, who were already busy setting up tables, chairs, tents, and -- of course -- recycling bins. The leader of the early crew, Beverly, told me -- with only a hint of panic -- that she had no idea how many people to expect. And also, with sun instead of the rain that was forecast, she thinks "there's an angel up there for us." I'll be heading back down in a couple of hours to see how the scene unfolds.

    Permalink

  2. Erik Hoffner's avatar

    Erik Hoffner Posted 1:52 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Step it Up IndyI'm in Indianapolis for an arts and environment event tonight put on by the Central Indiana Land Trust, and am on my way this AM to a Step it Up event in the very center of town, Monument Circle, stomping through the 38 degree puddles. No matter, the Hoosier Environmental Council's call to Step it Up is going to represent this state's concern quite well! We'll be huddled under umbrellas for the big picture, but that will contrast well with the many sunny dispositions seen elsewhere. And that is the truly big picture of this day.

    The Orion Grassroots Network: 1000+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more

    Permalink

  3. Chris Schults Posted 3:29 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Media CoveragePerhaps the big MSM outfits are waiting for the larger events to occur???
    Check out the latest from Google News.

    Look out! It's a media shower!

    Permalink

  4. Delay And Deny's avatar

    Delay And Deny Posted 4:58 am
    14 Apr 2007

    A Better WayI have defined a new societal concept:

    The Guillotine:
    http://you-read-it-here-first.com/viewtopic.php?t=511
    I am announcing a new societal concept: The Guillotine
    The Guillotine states:
    1. The majority of societies problems are caused by the top 3% of society.


    The top 3% therefore must be segregated for the general good of the People and the Planet.
    The form of isolation or sequestering has not been determined.
    Taking this action will prevent the top 3% from warming the planet further by making movies, organizing electricity-wasting benefit concerts or otherwise getting around a spending a lot of money in the name of "helping".



    The Texeme Construct offers international text memetics construction and textcasting services. http://www.you-read-it-here-first.com

    Permalink

  5. Katharine Wroth's avatar

    Katharine Wroth Posted 5:17 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Back in Boston ...I have Stepped It Up with the best of 'em. The day turned gray and cold. Still, a biggish crowd gathered -- half comprised by families who'd been in a parade and half by other earnest types, about 99 percent white -- to listen to the likes of Union of Concerned Scientists head Kevin Knobloch, Rep. Ed Markey, author and activist Ross Gelbspan, and city councilor Felix Arroyo.
    I hope that the real excitement about Step It Up is the national component, and the creative actions like those Dave mentions above, because I gotta say, Boston's felt like any other eco-rally. Not to be negative -- it's a thrilling and historic day! But I was standing near a group of college student types during a speech early on, and one of them suddenly said, "You guys wanna go toss a frisbee or something?" It was like that.
    Still, most of the crowd is full of energy (the rally's still going out there), and even the fact that there is a crowd -- that Ed Markey just stood in Boston Common and gave a rousing speech about Bush and climate change -- is something to behold. A couple of speakers also announced the news that Boston's mayor has committed to the 80 percent carbon reduction by 2050 -- in Markey's words, "turning Beantown into Greentown."

    Permalink

  6. Katharine Wroth's avatar

    Katharine Wroth Posted 5:28 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Estimating crowd sizeI stink at estimating, always have. I went to a baby shower recently and guessed 42 jelly beans when there were something like 183 in the jar. I'm that bad.
    So I asked a few onlookers how many people they thought were at the Boston rally, which UCS' Knobloch said doubled in size during the speeches.
    Communist handing out a weekly paper and talking up revolution: "About 1,000-1,500."
    Bicyclist leaning on a tree at the edges of the crowd: "Not enough."
    Guy selling tourist T-shirts nearby: shrug and laugh. (Follow-up question to T-shirt guy: Have you been listening to any of what they're saying over there? "Nah.")
    I considered asking the three kids smoking pot on one of the benches, but I didn't. I'm gonna guess ... 2,300.

    Permalink

  7. dissociated Posted 5:48 am
    14 Apr 2007

    news coverageThere's a bit of coverage in Yahoo! News' Environment section.

    http://news.yahoo.com/i/2736;_ylt=AvN48pg9hS_48ujE3nIaHdM ...  I think the media is most attracted to protests with huge amounts of people, not so much "distributed protesting".. so maybe that's the problem?

    Permalink

  8. randino Posted 7:07 am
    14 Apr 2007

    Report from ClevelandBraving hypothermia on the shores of Lake Erie, approximately 100 Clevelanders rallied at Edgewater Park to say Step It Up Congress. The rally featured speakers, a speak out, music, and networking. What was particularly significant was the number of young families and children at the event. Afterwards organizers convened to celebrate at Great Lakes Brewery, a local brewery that has a bio-diesel truck, and that is one of the most environmentally friendly businesses in Cleveland. Today's event was preceeded by a press conference on Thursday, attended by representatives from government, business and labor. Everyone felt it was a very successful effort in Cleveland.
    Randy Cunningham

    Randy Cunningham

    Permalink

  9. beth112 Posted 7:08 am
    14 Apr 2007

    media and ralliesMaybe this is obvious, but nobody has pointed it out.  The media don't just show up.  An organizer of the rally actually should contact several media outlets via a phone call or sending them a press release before the event.  Local news outlets and newspapers are your best bet.
    I attended a peace rally a few months ago organized by a pretty savvy 14 year old and his parents.  We had only about 60 people, but 2 Miami news stations were there.  This is probably because the national organization calling for the rallies asked its local organizers to tell them which media outlets they contacted in their electronic tool kit.  I hope Step it Up had the same foresight.

    Permalink

  10. JMG's avatar

    JMG Posted 12:55 pm
    14 Apr 2007

    The disappearing mediaA friend who used to work as a reporter for one of the Gannett "newspapers" said that Gannett managers, once they eliminate any competition in a city, reduce resources to the point that they want their reporters working 9-5 only.  
    My jaw dropped, but I started paying attention and, lo and behold, I noted that I almost never saw a real reporter at anything that happened after 5 (sports excluded).
    So figure that the chains Gannett competes with aren't that different, and you understand why a great mass of Americans still think Saddam was tied to 9/11 -- because they get their view of the world entirely from the TeeVee.
    These SIU rallies promised almost nothing for the mainstream media--there was no prospect of violence,  no nekkid white girls, no white girls going missing, and no monster trucks or patriotic "support the troops" tie ins.  So be grateful for any coverage anywhere at all.
     

    "An optimist is someone who thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist is someone who is afraid that the optimist is right."

    Permalink

  11. pjfinn Posted 1:15 am
    15 Apr 2007

    A report from MontanaHere's a story from yesterday's rally in downtown Missoula MT. Haven't seen anything about the other 8 rallies held around the state.
    http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/04/15/news/local/ ...

    Permalink

  12. LexNan Posted 12:06 am
    17 Apr 2007

    Historic Lexington, MassachusettsThe Rally in Historic Lexington Massachusetts rallied with the theme "LET THE ENERGY REVOLUTION BEGIN HERE."  It was Patriot's Day Weekend, where thousands of area residents gather each April for the Reenactment of the Revolutionary War battle on the Lexington Green and the enormously popular Patriot's Day Parade - BOTH WERE RAINED OUT THIS YEAR with an unusual Nor'Easter! But the Rally went on, with more than 400 people listening to great music and speeches.Bill McKibben's mother, Mrs. Peggy McKibben, read a passionate letter to the crowd from her son.   The rally ended with a fife and drum-led march to the Historic Lexington Green, where a group photo was taken under the statue of the Lexington Minuteman.

    a href=http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u127/airenan1/StepitUpRallyatStatue.jpghttp://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u127/airenan1/StepitUp .../a

    Permalink

Add a Comment

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have an account, log in. If you don't have an account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Hello, Visitor!    Why not register?

Viewed
More
Commented
More
Advertisement