More than 1,006 local communities
across the country will conduct simultaneous rallies
on Saturday, April 14 at noon to generate increased
awareness on the need to slow global warming –
the best scientists say we have less than 10 years
to act. A local planning group, “Step It Up
Lenawee,” is organizing such a rally at the
Adrian City Hall at noon on Saturday, April 14. We
are asking Congress to cut carbon emission 80 percent
by 2050. Federal support to slow global warming is
crucial. We also urge the community to step up efforts
to curb carbon emissions from homes, buildings, and
vehicles – buying local increases local economic
multipliers and reduces fossil fuel used in transporting
goods. Buying more local food also helps.
This planning group invites you,
your church, your family, your school, business, and
service club friends to be part of this rally. Send
the message that we voters want action on this critical
issue threatening the quality of human life now and
for the coming generations. Some local officials,
business and utility officials, as well as science
faculty members and student organizations from Siena
Heights University and Adrian College, have registered
their interest. To inquire about details and how to
help or get involved, call 517-264-3965 (work) or
517-263-0546, or email wtregea@adrian.edu.
Leading scientists like Jim Hansen,
NASA’s head of climatology research and director
of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, have proven
human activity is disastrously heating the planet
(www.giss.nasa.gov/research/).
Already we are experiencing accelerated disappearance
of snow caps, glaciers, having more droughts, famines
and natural disasters. There is a spreading of malaria.
The meltdown of the arctic ice sheets in Greenland
and the arctic region is occurring now (www.realclimate.org).
Hansen said last year that we have ten years to get
the laws and personal and community actions in place
to slow the flow of carbon into the atmosphere (www.nybooks.com/articles/19131).
Continuing “business-as-usual” increases
temperature above 2 degrees Fahrenheit and, beyond
that point, the momentum will be too great and “all
bets are off” for a livable planet. Bill McKibben,
spearheading “Step It Up 2007” rallies
(www.stepitup2007.org)
says: “I think what we have come to understand
is that this problem is so large and has such a time
element that the only way it can be solved is through
political action in rapid order.”
Dr. Bill Tregea, Ph.D., Adrian
College
Rev. Rod Hokenson, City of Adrian
