Today I had the privilege of hopping on the bus to Denver to join three awesome co-workers at the Climate Rally, put on by Caroline Gleich alongside Katie Boué. It was centered around the Outdoor Retailer expo in Denver, and particularly encouraged outdoor industry folks to get out and rally.
A sizable group of folks gathered at the Convention Center and marched to the capitol. On the capitol steps we heard from a variety of speakers including Jeremy Jones (founder of Protect Our Winters), Clare Gallagher, 8 year old activist Madhvi4EcoEthics, 13 year old activist Haven Coleman, Deenaalee, and others. It was equal parts challenging and uplifting, heartbreaking and hopeful.
The rally was good, but there was also a push for action. A toolkit is HERE with some good information. But at minimum, a reminder that now and in November we need to vote. It’s one of the single biggest actions we can take to help the earth. Our actions matter, but change at the legislative level is really where it’s at.
Trump getting elected was not something I foresaw. Partially that’s because I trusted the polls and the news outlets I leaned on, who told me that wasn’t a scenario that could happen. I didn’t want to believe it was possible. I should have seen it coming.
Fool me once.
For this next election, I intend to speak up with my time, talent, and treasure. Volunteering to get folks registered to vote, using my skills to help activists who care about issues like climate change, and donating money to folks who can get the work done.
This is a climate emergency. We’re not going to get another chance.