At times, it's easy to feel isolated in your efforts to create a greener and more sustainable future; especially in a place like Washington County, which has not exactly been a hub of environmental progressivism in the past. This past weekend, however, I was reminded that we are far from alone - indeed, those of us attempting to "sustain Washington County" are just one small part of a green wave that's sweeping across this country.
From Friday evening through this past Monday, I attended Powershift 2009: the largest-ever gathering to oppose global warming in US history. While the event - held in Washington, DC - was organized by young people, and while the vast majority of the more than 12,000 participants were youth, it was heartening to see activists of all ages unite to take on the most pressing problem of our time. Speakers from Congressman Ed Markey, to EPA Director Lisa Jackson, to civil rights leader Van Jones, to writer and activist Bill McKibben reminded us that 2009 is a critical year to pass policies at all levels of government which will signal to the international community that the United States is ready to take on a leadership role in combating the climate crisis. On Monday, we descended on Capitol Hill itself for a giant rally on the West Lawn, and to meet with our elected representatives in Congress and urge them to support bold climate policy.
From the national to the city level, we will push our elected leaders to be real leaders when it comes to environmental issues. Now it's time to build a movement here in Washington County that will harness the energy I saw at Powershift and transform our region into one with a brighter and greener future. More coming soon!-Posted by Nick Engelfried
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