Climate Protestors Rally in D.C.

An estimated 2,500 protestors blocked the main gates to the Capitol Power Plant in Washington D.C. yesterday, drawing attention to the nation’s reliance on coal–the emissions from which are contributing to global climate change.

Capitol Climate Action, which organized the four-hour protest, said it was the largest display of civil disobedience in U.S. history in regards to climage change.

Protestors included notable environmentalists and celebrities such as NASA climatologist Dr. James Hansen, Bill McKibben, Noam Chomsky, Paul Hawken, Wendell Berry, Daryl Hannah and Will.I.Am. None of the protestors were arrested.

"What has become clear from the science is that we cannot burn all of the fossil fuels without creating a very different planet," Hansen said. "The only practical way to solve the problem is to phase out the biggest source of carbon and that is coal."

Congressional Democrats last week said they want the 99-year-old Capitol Power Plant to transition away from coal by the end of the year. The power plant no longer generates electricity for the legislative buildings but
provides steam for heating. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid released a letter asking the Capitol Architect to switch the plant to natural gas.

Power Shift 2009

The demonstration wasn’t the only climate action in D.C. over the weekend as high school and college students met for Power Shift 2009.

Approximately 12,000 students from around the country gathered to confront climate change–lobbying members of Congress and attending seminars on environmental issues, climage action and leadership training.

Read Mother Jones coverage at the link below.