On September 21, we will join thousands of people on the streets of NYC to demand action on climate. Are you in?
This September, world leaders are coming to New York City for a landmark Climate Summit at the United Nations—and we’ll be meeting them in the streets to demand real action. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens will be joining their voices to ask for global action on climate change. The People’s Climate March will be the biggest climate march the world has ever seen—and we’re asking you to join CFE/Save the Sound staff and lots of other Connecticut organizations there.
We’ll take to the streets to demand the world we know is within our reach. A world with an economy that works for people and the planet. A world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities.
On the fence? Wondering if your attendance will really make a difference?
That’s a reasonable question. Marching alone is not going to stop climate change. But by bringing the whole movement together, we let the world’s leaders understand that there are strong demands for real action. RSVP to the march and let your friends and family know why they should be there too.
Confronting climate change means turning the rising tides, protecting us from extreme weather, and cutting pollution. But it also means reinvesting in our broken infrastructure, building local energy solutions, and creating a more just, fair society. And these are things that will keep happening at the local level, using the momentum from the People’s Climate March, long after September 21.
There hasn’t been a social movement in the history of the U.S. that has succeeded without putting massive numbers of people in the streets. We don’t think this one can either. That’s why CFE/Save the Sound is joining a coalition of groups (including the Sierra Club, the Greater New Haven Peace Council, New Haven Friends Meeting, and many more) from across New Haven, Connecticut, New York, and the world to gather in New York City.
The work that we all do to conserve and protect Long Island Sound and the air, land, and water of Connecticut is incredibly important—but our local environment is affected by what happens globally, so it’s important to work on bigger fronts too.
Of course marches don’t work by themselves. Crucially important work will be done in the weeks and months after Sept. 21. Right here in New Haven, we’ll keep promoting the Healthy City, Healthy Climate Challenge, encouraging people to take simple steps—like reducing meat consumption and taking the bus—to help the climate and build a stronger community.
We’ll keep working to reduce leaks of the powerful greenhouse gas methane, partnering with building owners to cut their emissions, and lobbying for policies that will help us transition to more clean, locally-produced energy.
Out in Long Island Sound, warming waters threaten species crucial to our fisheries and economy, like lobsters. Rising waters threaten our homes, our livelihoods, and even our lives when the most severe storms make landfall. Our habitat restoration work helps to repair and strengthen dunes and marshes, creating buffers against storm surge.
The threats mounted against us are large, but our work to face them will be more powerful because we’ve stood together, and felt each other’s strength. If you’re looking for hope, I can’t think of anywhere better to be than the streets of New York this September.
By joining the march on September 21, you will no longer just be a witness to climatic history – you will be shaping it.
Logistics
Want to join us? Staff from CFE/Save the Sound and partner organizations will be traveling by train with Metro-North—and you can get discounted tickets to ride with us by visiting the CT Climate Train website. Traveling from further afield in Connecticut or New York? Check out this website for all the details about bus transport—just click on your state.
We need to join with citizens from around the country and collectively act to halt climate change. We’re living in historic times. Help make the People’s Climate March a historic action by signing up here.
Posted by Sarah Ganong, media coordinator at Connecticut Fund for the Environment and its bi-state program Save the Sound. The text of this post was modified from peoplesclimate.org/march/.