Around 400,000 people gathered in New York City Sunday to demand action on climate change, making it the largest climate march in history.
The march started with a moment of silence, with thousands walking through Times Square with their fists in the air but without making a sound. Tweeters declared that they had never heard it so quiet.
Politicians and celebrities including Al Gore, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Dennis Kucinich, celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Gane Goodall, joined activists, scientists, and ordinary people who came from states as far away as Oklahoma to march.
There were also hundreds of climate protests in other countries, including Britain (with marchers Peter Gabriel and Emma Thompson), Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Columbia, Afghanistan, and Bulgaria.
The United Nations Climate Summit starts on Tuesday.
However, the march was largely ignored by Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. “Meet the Press” didn’t even mention the march. I guess it is true that the Revolution will not be televised.
I’m thinking that climate change has become the defining issue of our time. If we stop burning fossil fuels for energy, not only will it stop climate change, it will reduce pollution and eliminate our dependence on foreign energy sources that have led to costly and stupid wars. And contrary to misinformation being spread by the oil industry, it will actually help our economy as we develop newer, sustainable energy sources. If we could land people on the moon 50 years ago, surely we can solve our energy problems in innovative ways. Yes, there will be technical and political problems, but I’m confident we can overcome those. Let’s do it.
UPDATE: Media Matters reports that the Sunday news shows on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox all failed to cover the massive climate march. Meet the Press, Face the Nation, State of the Union, and Fox News Sunday completely ignored the event, while ABC’s This Week briefly mentioned it. WTF is wrong with our media?
7 Comments
I completely agree IK that we should protect ourselves and environment from the pollutants exhausted in the burning of fossil fuels. The more the better.
Here’s where I differ slightly from many green advocates and government policy. Currently we are still developing alternative energy sources that can fully compete with fossil fuels. Our policy seems to be to punish the use of them through fee, regulation and taxation. I’m not sure that’s the best course of action and may contribute to the stubbornness exhibited by deniers. If instead our leaders and starting with our President borrowed from Kennedy and his famous speech of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade and then setting the country on a path to develop the next new thing it would be more readily accepted.
Just trying to think outside the box. So lets just drop the climate change as a reason and do it because it’s the right thing to do. Because it’s man’s destiny to break the bonds of fossil fuels and create an endless, cheap to free supply of energy.
Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world, income inequality the greatest challenge for the US. If we don’t solve the income inequality problem here, this country won’t be here (as we have known it) to experience the final results of the climate changes.
PSgt, I hardly think we are punishing the use of fossil fuels. Instead, we as taxpayers are subsidizing them. And that’s not even including the costs we shoulder from all the wars for oil, the health problems associated with pollution, etc.
And when Obama started funding (at relatively low cost) alternative energy sources, the conservatives went nuts. I don’t think the “stubbornness exhibited by deniers” can be reduced.
Why did the media ignore the march in NY? Simple, there was no rioting, so no exhilarating video.
And so why did the media cover multiple tea party protests, attended by “tens” of people? Also without any rioting.
Not covered by news? Follow the money.
Sometime I feel the argument over global warming is a waist of breath. Seems to me the only possible way to get “deniers” on board is to point out the economic and national security benefits of green energy. We really need to enact supply side economic policies, add a little education, and let the market decide instead of the biggest producers. I’m now buying my second 100+ year old building (my business) and will be using geo-thermal in it as well.
Follow The Money. Because viewers respond to sensationalized stories far better than to straight news, the news in all its manifestations has become reality programs aimed at maximizing viewership. Reality is not a money maker. And convincing people that we must end a doomed consensus of consumerism isn’t attractive to viewers. Follow The Money…all the way to its bitter end.