STEP IT UP FOR THE MOUNTAINS

April 14, 2007   3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Big Picture Theater, Route 100, Waitsfield, VT

Sponsored by the Stark Mountain Foundation, Green Mountain Club, National Wildlife Federation, and The Mountain Institute.

This photo was taken in Park City, Utah, where middle school students responded to Inuit people in Canada who posted an aerial message saying "arctic warning - listen."  The students created a human message on the snow and spelled out an Inuit phrase, "I hear you and I am going to respond."

On April 14, 2007, hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered all across the country at meaningful, iconic places to call for action on global warming and climate change.  Photos were taken at all locations and circulated via web and press outlets to show the world that we care -- and want swift action in Congress.

In the Mad River Valley, Yestermorrow was the lead sponsor (among several great local organizations) for an engaging menu of events planned for an entire week linking national
Step It Up Day on April 14 with Earth Day on April 22.  Our 7 Days for the Earth took Valley residents and visitors on a journey that started with global warming and its challenges and traveled through our collective needs to protect nature; establish food security; efficiently process our wastes; provide affordable housing and robust public transportation; and satisfy our energy demands in a less destructive manner.

Our kick-off event in the Mad River Valley was sponsored by the Stark Mountain Foundation and was held on April 14 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at The Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield.

The focus of this event was on mountains and their significance to us ecologically, recreationally, spiritually, culturally, and more.  Representatives from the Green Mountain Club and The Mountain Institute were on hand to discuss their concerns and current efforts.  We were also joined by Middlebury College students, including Emily Adler, who spoke about carbon offset and reduction programs for ski areas.  Check our website updates.

A feature of the event was the "Al Gore" slide show presentation by Liz Soper of the National Wildlife Federation.  Liz was part of a select group of individuals who met with Al Gore and attended his week-long training.  She presented the slide show which Gore presented in his Academy Award winning moving "An Inconvenient Truth." 

Global warming and climate change threaten to impact our mountains in many ways.  We are already experiencing "snow challenged" winters with impacts on winter recreation.  Mountain ecology may be affected, including impacts from disease and pests.  Severe weather events can cause ice and wind storms, flooding, and erosion.  The good news is that we have the knowledge, wisdom, and technology to make necessary changes.  We just need to have the political, community, and individual commitment and power to move - FAST.

At 6:30 pm the Green Mountain Global Forum (GMGF) sponsored the screening of The Great Warming.  Narrated by Alanis Morissette and Keanu Reeves, The Great Warming is a dramatic film about climate change that sweeps around the world to reveal how a changing climate is affecting the lives of people everywhere.  It has been called "the best film about global warming ever shot."  Immediately following the film, GMGF sponsored a panel discussion on the film and the science of documenting climate change.  The panel included Michael Taylor, director of the film; Karen Coshof, producer of the film; and Jon Isham, a scientist focusing on climate change.