Despite the cold, people came out today to let Congress know that we need to Step it Up when it comes to climate change. Music from the two great bands, "Pete & J" and "The Woes" helped keep everyone warm. Over 300 people hand wrote letters to our state senators asking for an 80% reduction in carbon by 2050, five million green jobs and no new coal plants. People also planted native seeds and got to take a plant home to watch it grow. Hopefully the climate movement will grow with the seeds we planted today!

More than 300 hardy New Yorkers braved a cold, windy and overcast day to attend our rally at Washington Square. Congressman Anthony Weiner and Lieutenant Governor David Paterson presented rousing speeches, voicing unqualified support for a moratorium on coal-fired power plants, an 80% reduction of GHG emissions by 2050 and large-scale public investment in "green collar" job development and training. Other speakers included scientist James Wang from Environmental Defense and Martin Hoffert, Ph.D. The bands were great, too!

A lot of energy and a lot of good people.

We had a great turnout on a brisk cloudy day. About 300 people wrote letters to Senator Clinton and Senator Schumer telling them the urgent need to act on climate change. We had speeches from Rep Anthony Weiner and Lt Gov David Patterson plus two really fun bands. It was a very exciting day.

Sorry, no cameras, but there was a good-sized crowd despite cold winds. The band was good, spirits were high, and the onstage presentation in Washington Square (I think that's the venue I indicated I attended) was excellent.

Several politicians spoke--Lt. Gov. Patterson and Rep. Anthony Weiner, both passionate and articulate on the issue. A Congresswoman who'd committed to speak evidently got lost, but your stepitup MC deftly programmed sixth-grader Tiffany, who made her speaking debut last April, we were told. She was also articulate, as well as funny and informed, and she should run for office the minute she hits 18.

I met a number of old friends and made some new ones, whom I'll contact to see if they can connect me to bunches of people who want to learn what I teach (gratis): how to lobby state/federal legislators. I also hand-wrote a letter to Clinton and Schumer.

Later that night I attended a West Side environmental theater piece called The Boycott, written and acted by Kathryn Blume, in conjunction with stepitup. She and it were excellent and deserved a bigger audience that the 25 or so who attended.

Altogether a truly inspiring day!

So many of us are adding our voices and joining action-oriented eco groups. It was heartening to me to connect with so many people at one place and hear what others are doing to create change.

Please join us at LandForThePeople.org to conserve and protect land. We will have a Resources page to highlight aligned organizations...let us hear from you.

The speakers were great. There was enthusiasm. It was very well organized. I wish there had been more people there; I hope that situation improves in the future.