ALSO SEE: A Call to Arms: An Invitation to Demand Action on Climate Change

Stand Up and March: You Are the People's Climate Movement

By Bill McKibben, Common Dreams

08 August 14

ime to move, time to move!

We’re all gathering in New York in September for the People’s Climate March, aka the biggest show of force yet from the movement determined to stop the planet’s slide into physical chaos.

But before we get to march in New York we’re going to do some calisthenics in Boston, Philly and Washington, D.C. Those are the three big cities closest to the march, and so it’s crucial we build some momentum. (Live in one of those cities? Just click on the names above to get your tickets).

And when I say ‘we,’ I mean some of those people from across the world who have done the most to give us a fighting chance against the fossil fuel industry. Lisa Jackson, who ran Barack Obama’s EPA during the first term. Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., head of the Hip Hop Caucus (who will be debuting tracks from the new album of climate songs by some of the country’s top recording artists). Koreti Timualu, who’s organizing the flotilla of canoes from across the Pacific that will launch the day of the march to blockade the Australian coal industry. Sandra Steingraber, who’s been fighting fracking longer and harder than just about anyone. Union leaders, local environmentalists, students with reports from the front lines of the divestment battle.

But when I say “we,” I mean more importantly the rest of this big movement. We need everyone out on these three nights so we can huddle about how to make sure the September march comes off with real power. We need to start showing that we’re a force.

Look—it’s been a nasty year in a lot of ways. We learned in April that the great ice sheets of the Antarctic have begun to melt. We’ve watched as huge wildfires have spread smoke across the continent. And we’ve seen the Koch brothers double down on their spending to control our politics.

Which means the choice is ours. We sit back, or we stand up to take them on. Beginning August 23, 24 and 25. See you there.