Over 750,000 people marched yesterday in support of global cooperation to stop climate change. Today is the first day of the Paris Climate Conference attended by heads of states of 138 countries. I hope it’s not going to be like James Brown’s song: “Talking loud saying nothing.”
Yesterday, there were over 2,300 marches in 175 countries crying out for clean energy and climate justice. I am proud to say that I marched and am a small part of this huge historical movement to save Mama Earth from catastrophe.
Fossil fuel companies (oil, gas and coal) are like buggy manufacturers at the turn of the last century who fought to maintain their business in the face of the new technology – automobiles. Today, fossil fuel companies lobby politicians, destroy research and evidence showing extraction and burning of fossil fuel causes global warming – climate change, resulting in unprecedented droughts, rising sea levels, warming of oceans, destruction of habitat, extinction of species. Because poor people are already vulnerable, climate change affects them worst leading to famine and refugees. Clean energy like wind and solar exists today. We just need to commit the resources and will into improving renewable energy technology and transitioning from old school,
dirty fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.
When I saw the thousands of empty shoes in front of the Place de la Republique, at the door of the Paris talks, I imagined a world where all the wearers of shoes disappeared. If global warming continues, Earth could become so hostile to life that humans become as extinct as dinosaurs. Or, while we still have time, we can free Mama Earth from abusive human caused climate change and leave our future generations a better world with clean energy and social justice.
“Beware, please care, don’t pollute our air
Rethink, we’re on the brink
No water to drink
It’s a shame; we’re to blame
for climate change
Deduce
No excuse
Stop abusing Mama Earth
Cause she gave you birth
and what you do to earth
you do to you…” (Lyrics from “Free Mama Earth” copyright 2015