(Posted on behalf of some women I have great respect for. Help tell their story to the world.)
Moms Turned Mountaineers in Climb Against Coal
We are four Washington moms, who, on Saturday July 17, will attempt to summit Mount Rainier with a message for our Governor. Our Climb Against Coal challenges Governor Gregoire to close Washington’s largest toxic polluter and point source of deadly carbon: the TransAlta coal-fired power plant in Centralia.
We are not experienced mountaineers, but six months ago, when we brainstormed this crazy idea, we determined to meet an urgent challenge with radical action. We each have children between the ages of 3 and 6, and our kids have taught us to be loud and persistent in our demands. Today, we demand that coal burning end in Washington. The Governor’s plan to burn dirty coal for fifteen more years is unacceptable. The time to transition to clean energy is now.
We make this challenge from the top of Mount Rainier because nowhere are the effects of Governor Gregoire’s inaction on dirty coal more evident than on our state’s most hallowed landmark. Every year, as our children grow, TransAlta’s stack spews 20 trillion pounds of greenhouse gases that warm the climate and melt our mountain. Every hour of every day, TransAlta’s stack dumps mercury, a toxic heavy metal, onto its shrinking snow and ice pack. That mercury then makes its way down streams and rivers to Puget Sound.
Letter Sent to Governor Gregoire on July 9, 2010
“As mothers, we are concerned about the magnitude of greenhouse gases that come directly from the coal plant, creating climate chaos for future generations. We want our children to be able to stand in awe of the magnificent glaciers on Mount Rainier, as we do today.”
http://www.climbagainstcoal.org/...
Washington has the opportunity to lead the nation and be the first state to transition off of coal. Scientists and researchers have shown that with significant conservation efforts and investment in the renewable economy we deserve, we can easily move away from coal-generated power.
We are proud to join the many voices throughout the state urging Governor Gregoire to step up. Our parents taught us to face our problems, to try creative solutions, and not to procrastinate. We are teaching our children those same lessons. We can not push this problem into our children’s future. In 2025, when are kids are grown, we want them to look back at this time with pride–pride that their parents took a stand, made sacrifices, and met a challenge to help future generations live on a thriving, nurturing planet.
Climb on!!
---
You can follow our progress over the next 4 days here
http://www.climbagainstcoal.org/
Please share our story, as this is a truly grassroots effort.
Interviews with the moms.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Flicker photos as they become available for media/blog use
http://www.flickr.com/...
Photo of climbers
http://www.climbagainstcoal.org/...