The success of the Sierra Club Lake Group”s April 14 Global Warming rally at Clearlake”s Austin Park despite the distinctly uninviting weather that prevailed on that day was due primarily to the many individuals in our community who refused to let rain, wind, and cold keep them from demonstrating their concern for the fate of our planet.
Thanks to you, we were able to add the voices of Lake County to the nationwide chorus emanating from more than 1400 events in the Step It Up campaign”s National Day of Climate Action. Together, we sent a powerful message to our elected leaders: we need to fend off the threat of catastrophic climate change, and in order to do so we must all work together to cut global warming emissions enough to culminate in an 80 percent reduction by the year 2050.
The Lake Group is particularly grateful to Supervisor Ed Robey for his deft services as master of ceremonies; to Mayor Judy Thein for her warm welcome on behalf of the City of Clearlake; to Lake County Special Districts head Mark Dellinger for his account of the county”s remarkable ongoing efforts to trim its own carbon footprint; to Barbara Christwitz for her persuasive discussion of the virtues of solar ovens and the ease of constructing them; and especially to Supervisor Denise Rushing, whose inspiring presentation, “Global Warming and You: what individuals can do to make a difference,” was the keynote of the event.
Janis Paris and Paul Frindt provided a truckload of sound gear and the professional expertise needed to make it function, and with the assistance of bass player David Gilmore also treated us to several rousing sets of songs that were as musicially adept as they were spiritually invigorating. Thank you.
Putting several shade shelters and a substantial tent hastily together in the rain and wind was something of a challenge, but due to the efforts of Jack Arnold, Ryan Callen, Fred Cork, Lars Crail, Denise Rushing, and Juliana Vidich we made it in time to offer a dry venue to grateful tablers. Many thanks to all of you: your dedication, your commitment, and your hard work are precisely what this planet needs, and this community too.
Victoria Brandon
Chair, Sierra Club Lake Group
