Local rally tackles global warming

By Jan Kaus, Journal staff | Monday, April 16, 2007

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

RAPID CITY -- Nobody complained about the warm weather Saturday morning during the Global Warming Rally at Memorial Park, but scores did rally to urge Congress to take action against the threat of global warming.

“This problem is too big for just good intentions to fix,” said Rhiannon Hutchinson, who helped organize the local event along with the citizen action group Step It Up.

About 70 people attend the rally, which was said to be one of nearly 1,400 similar events held nationwide and one of three in South Dakota n and the only one in western South Dakota.

Hutchinson said that regardless of the location of the rallies, the purpose is the same -- to shift the focus from individuals doing the right thing to getting small businesses and political leaders on track to fix the problem.

The main goal of the Step It Up campaign is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050, she said.

Other speakers included representatives from the Congressional offices of Sen.. John Thune, R-S.D., Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D. Charmaine White Face spoke, representing Defenders of the Black Hills; and State Sen. Tom Katus, D-Rapid City, listed specific actions from citizens that can make a difference.

Letters from the state’s Congressional delegation touched on topics such as the production of renewable ethanol fuel in South Dakota, the possibility of tapping into wind energy, and mandatory carbon dioxide reduction emissions.

White Face, who was asked to speak from an American Indian perspective on relationship with the Earth, gave a passionate testimony, saying it’s not just a “Native” perspective, but rather that of all indigenous people worldwide.

“We need to live in good harmony and relationship with all creation upon the Earth, not in domination and abuse of it,” she said.

She challenged those in attendance to think about the simple acting of picking a single blade of grass.

“Think about how much oxygen that blade of grass was giving you and how much carbon dioxide it was pulling out of the air,” she said. “Each and every one of us has an individual responsibility to learn to have a good relationship with the Earth.”

Katus compared the United States to a gigantic aircraft carrier and said it has historically taken the country a long time to “turn it around” when there’s an issue such as global warming facing the country.

He compared it to slavery, women’s suffrage and the proposed concept of universal healthcare, saying it tends to take many years to accomplish change in the country.

“With global warming, we’re killing ourselves,” he said.

Katus said political solutions such as the New Apollo Project -- one that speaks of the creation of new jobs and of energy independence -- is similar to the movement that helped put man on the moon decades ago and could help solve an impending crisis. However, the key will be selling the idea to the public and then challenging people to put money and commitment behind the effort, he said.

Katus encouraged “keeping pressure on representatives in Washington,” but he also emphasized that individuals can make a difference simply by changing the light bulbs in their homes to fluorescent bulbs, which he said would reduce energy costs by the billions of dollars if everyone in the country would make the switch.

Fourteen-year-old Kayla Garvin of Spearfish was among those in attendance Saturday, said she came to the rally with high goals. “I’m saving the Earth … one person at a time. I’m going to be the one alive when this comes around. I’m going to be the one trying to raise a family, and I want to do the right thing now that will help my family later.”

At home, the Garvins have made the switch to fluorescent light bulbs, they carpool whenever possible, and they recycle in an effort to do their part for the environment.

As for her advice on how to make a difference, Kayla simply said, “Pick up your garbage, and buy less stuff.

Contact Jan Kaus at 642-8822, ext. 11, or jan.kaus@lawrencecountyjournal.com