On Saturday, September 24, hundreds, maybe thousands, of ‘Moving Planet’ rallies to “move beyond fossil fuels” were held all over the world…some big, some small…with lot’s of information sharing, networking, music, speakers, workshops, fun events and eco-activities for young and old alike.
This same day, world-wide events were organized by 350.org — a fast-growing, global, climate advocacy organization, whose name is taken from the maximum level of CO2 (i.e., 350 parts per million) necessary to keep our climate “safe”, or stable, as postulated by climate scientists like NASA’s James Hansen.
Our Seattle event was held at the newly landscaped, South Lake Union Park (just a stone’s throw from the Center for Wooden Boats), and included a musical performance by the band ‘Black Whales’, a short speech and strong show of support from Seattle mayor Mike McGinn, the presentation of the Brower Youth Award (for environmental justice work), free, stand-up paddle board lessons, and a fly-over group photograph.
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Other rally speakers included: Christopher Williams (Seattle Parks & Recreation Superintendent), Sarah van Gelder (YES! Magazine Executive Editor), KC Golden (Climate Solutions Policy Director), Lisa Quinn (Feet FirstExecutive Director), and Rev. Rich Lang (University Temple United Methodist Church).
There was also a reception marking the launch of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Center (now there’s something we need to see more of — churches taking an unequivocal stand to defend/protect the natural environment and its place in human society!)
Several thousand people attended the event over the course of its packed-full, eight hour schedule.
And of course, there were numerous information booths and other green-focused activities for all ages. Apart from the “big name” participants (like the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council), numerous smaller, growing, orgs — both local and regional (and a few with good Web clout) were present to offer services, resources, information or simply to let others know they exist.
- Local participants included CoolMom, Feet First, Seattle Solar Cooking, Skate Like A Girl, Dutch Bike Seattle, SCALLOPS (Sustainable Communities ALL Over Puget Sound), Undriving, and Urban Surf(for a complete list of participants in the Seattle Moving Planet event, see end of this post).
- Cooling off and having fun in the park’s
- walk-through water fountains
Official hosts of the Seattle rally were: 350 Washington State • Climate Solutions • Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light • Pacific Northwest Conference, UCC • Sierra Club • Transportation for Washington • Washington Environmental Council
…with additional financial support coming from Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment • Seattle Parks & Recreation • Seattle Department of Transportation • Bishop’s Committee for the Environment, Episcopal Diocese of Olympia • Home Performance Collaborative • Plymouth UCC • ZipCar • Bike Works Cascade Bicycle Club • Center for Wooden Boats • Seattle Dutch Bike Company Surf Ballard/WASUP Yoga • Urban Surf.
And here is the full list of Participants and Supporters of the Seattle Moving Planet Rally Against Fossil Fuels:
350 Washington State, Climate Solutions, Earth Ministry, Pacific Northwest Conference UCC, Sierra Club, Transportation for WA, WA Environmental Council, Office of Sustainability & Environment, Seattle Parks, Seattle Transportation, Transit Riders Union, Bishop’s Committee for the Environment, Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, Plymouth United Church of Christ, 350.org, aLIVe, Alki Bike & Board, Ballard Greenways, Beacon BIKES, Bike Works, The Bike Share Group, Cascade Bicycle Club, Center for Wooden Boats, Coal Free Washington, CoolMom, Dutch Bike Seattle, Electric Bikes NW, Family Bike Expo, FamilyRide, FeetFirst, Folding Bikes West, Fuse, Google, Haulin Colin, King County Metro RideShare, Maryhill Ratz Skateboard Commuters, National Wildlife Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, NW Ecobuilding Guild, NW E-Bike Network, PNW Conference UCC, The Production Network, Salish Sea Trading Cooperative, SCALLOPS (Sustainable Communities ALL Over Puget Sound), Seattle City Council, Seattle Electric Bike Co, Seattle Electric Vehicles Association (SEVA), Seattle Pacific University CityQuest, Seattle Solar Cooking, Shine On Seattle, Skate Like A Girl, Spokespeople, Surf Ballard, Sustainable Ballard Festival, Sustainable Wallingford CoC, Sustainable West Seattle Tool Library, Undriving, Urban Surf, WASUP Yoga, White Crane Photography, YES! Magazine, Yoga for Bikers
