article in the Nation

[Richard Kerver]

From Occupy to Climate Justice:  There’s a growing effort to merge economic-justice and climate activism. Call it climate democracy.
by Wen Stephenson, Published on Friday, February 7, 2014 by The Nation

Wen, thanks for the great article, keeping alive the grass roots movement begun in Occupy.  There were three great articles to be found at Common Dreams today, including yours and:
Bill McKibben: We 'Dont Trust' Obama on Climate Change, an interview with Bill Moyers, including a video embed of that interview; and,
Climate Disasters – Ending Congressional Stupor Now!, by Ralph Nader   

... all relevant and useful.  Bill's is an address to the Executive government of President Obama.   Ralph takes on Congress.  But you address the heart & soul of everyone, the We the People, and that's where we'll find the necessary change.

There has only been one statistically significant drop in annual carbon emissions and that was in the two years after the crash of Wall Street and the global recession that followed.  Ever since we've heard to mantra about jobs, new investment, stimulus and the economy.  But all the while I'm thinking, great, how can we deepen this recession and shift to an all together different economy, at once more environmental and human friendly.

I believe it possible for people to have a decent living in the context of a deep recession - proof, the Great Depression years of the 1930's.   That seems to be the job you've taken on, in the context of the New Economy movement.  I hope you and your generation succeed!

[Kerry Thompson]

Richard, Thanks for continuing to highlight these articles. Wen does a nice job highlighting the great work that Rachel and Farhad and many others are doing to prepare for the difficult times ahead. In fact, we saw Rachel yesterday, one of the coordinators for the action to protest the proposed gas plant to replace Salem's power plant. The article also reminds me of the message of the symposium  -- we must all wake up to help bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on earth -- to be able to survive.