by Jeni Miller
The organizing has been gathering steam for weeks now. Spearheaded by 350.org and with the support of over 1000 grassroots groups including unions, faith groups, environmental justice, elders groups, health groups and more, the People’s Climate March is anticipated to bring hundreds of thousands to the streets of New York to insist upon the urgency of addressing climate change. Over 2800 solidarity events are underway in 166 countries around the world in what organizers hope to be the largest showing of popular support for addressing climate change in history.
I’ll be joining the health section of the march, representing the US Climate and Health Alliance and marching alongside other health and public health friends and colleagues, because we recognize climate change as the greatest public health threat of our time, and because it is still possible to make a difference.
Update 5:30 p.m. NYC
Early estimates are that 310,000 people filled the streets to call for urgent and substantial action to address climate change. Youth, grandparents, doctors, environmentalists, foodies, social justice advocates, union members and more carried signs about the critical importance to human well-being of protecting the planet that shelters us from the devastation of climate change.