with frozen fingers, we stood in solidarity.

It's a beautiful thing to see a demonstration - to be a demonstration. There is an energy that cannot be described - but it courses through you and fills you with a sense of hope, peace, love and happiness. I know, pretty "crunchy" but it's true. There is nothing more inspirational than seeing people gather & mobilize in solidarity for a cause - the signs, the art, the slogans, the shouts. differences melt away and people come together - unified - because they all feel so strongly about an issue, they can't not act.

100,000 strong in Copenhagen alone.

Last night marked the largest climate demonstration in history!! Around the world people marched, held vigils, demonstrated and gathered in solidary for climate action - a call to Seal the Deal!!

I attended a candlelight vigil with the Archbishop Desmon Tutu (who on his way out brushed past me!!! and like a nerd i froze and could only smile - but could not get a peep out of my mouth). It was amazing to see him speak - so inspirational and so hilarious! watch the speech here (it's only a few minutes and will leave you smiling) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U-wxAonGPA (and by the way - notice the beautiful arrangement of flowers on the board behind him - Yaicha and i did that!! we were recruited to hang flowers and tape the signs. It felt so good to organize something in some small way - to help out. The freezing cold on my fingers as i arranged flowers and cut tape were not match for warmth i felt at lending a hand).

Also on Saturday, apparently the represenative from Tuvalu began crying during the plenary (Zach was there and might have more on his blog about this) because in his mind, the fate of his island, his culture, his home rests on the US passing a comprehensive climate bill. And, he probably is right, both that his fate may very well rest on US action and that he should be crying at that prosect.

I feel like i am in this very odd state right now - like the eye of a hurricane - but not in the sense that i feel calm - more like a suspended reality - all around me is chaos - and i am just waiting for it to hit. Swirling all around me are these emotions of hope, despair, anger, frustration, motivation - and i am suspended - not knowing which one i actually feel - and waiting for the outcome of these negotiations to decide.

What worries me and what i don't understand is this:
there are 100,000 people that took to the streets of copenhagen alone. There are 30,000 - 40,000 activists that have traveled from all corners of the globe to be at this conference. There are continuous demonstrations around the world - during this week and in weeks past which have varied from 3 people to 3,000 people - all speaking their mind about climate change - all shouting at the top of their lungs how important it is to them that we sign a FAB deal (Fair. Ambitious. Binding.).

but who is listening?

i fear that the people in those plenary sessions and closed meetings, those people who hold the decision-making power do not hear the cries of the masses. But, how is that possible? How is it possible to NOT create a treaty with this outburst of support from the world! But no matter how much we shout, no many how many gather, no matter how far we go or what we say or what we do, no matter how peaceful or how violent - it might not matter. and that is the most frustrating part of this for me. what if we don't get a binding agreement? what if what they decide is not enough? what if the US does not pass a comprehensive climate bill? what then? what more can we do to convince world leaders that we need them to lead us to reduced emissions, alternative energy, sustainable living, adaptation and mititgaion. And as world leaders, what more do you want than half of the world coming together to tell you the importance of a cause? what more do you need to take aggressive action?

i fear, almost, for this week to come. our fate and the fate of the biological/ecological system for which we are inextricably tied, hangs in the balance - in the hands of a chosen few whom we hope do the "right" thing - who we hope have heard our pleas. if they didn't hear and if they don't act - i don't know what to do?

so, what i would ask in this next week is to pressure your senators and reps relentlessly to pass an aggressive and comprehensive bill. i know we won't get a climate bill next week or even in many weeks - but they need to hear from you - to know that we will not sit idle by and allow the US to cut emissions by 14% or 17% - we will not allow the irresponsibility of the developed nations to continue. we want action and we want it now - we need it now! we need to SEAL the DEAL!!