10,000+ people are descending on Congress to lobby on climate change as part of Powershift 09. And, many of those will participate in what might be the largest climate change disobedience action in history: the Capitol Climate Action to seek to shut down the coal-fired Capitol Power Plant. Meanwhile, the DC area (along with much of the East Coast) is hit with a major snowstorm. The Federal Government is on a two-hour delay and schools around the area are shut down.
For those who don't get that weather isn't climate, a snowy day in March is not some contradiction of science on Global Warming, they are confused when mass efforts to highlight the seriousness of the climate crisis intersect with major weather events that seem (SEEM) to contradict the realities of the dangerous changes that humanity is recklessly driving. Some joke about "The Gore Effect", suggesting that the best predictor of a DC snow storm is Al Gore being scheduled to testify before Congress. (They will, of course, forget when he is there in hotter weather if they can find a snow or ice event ...) Today reinforces that shallow observation.
Without a doubt, expect "journalists" to include shallow (and snide) comments about "snow storm" in any discussions of Powershift and the Capitol Climate Action. Expect Marc Morano and the global warming denier sound machine to spread messages and one-liners making these links.
Will they, however, mention that Australia is burning up and drowning at the same time? (Any mention of Australia's Black Saturday when laughing about Washington's White Monday?) Will they have any discussions of flooding in Washington State or how much of the US is in drought (including 97% of Texas) and how Texas farmers are suffering? Sigh ... perhaps not.
Will they emphasize that thousands were willing, even amid such lousy weather, to show up and risk arrest to highlight coal's risks?
Will they have the sense to discuss that this is Global, not your backyard, Warming and that is why some prefer "Climate Change" to be able to better explain how the weather pattern disruption can mean more snow or rain in place A while place B is baking in severe, extended drought conditions?
Will the reporters have the common sense to remind people of a simple fact? More snowfall in your backyard doesn't mean global warming hasn't stopped!
As my kids gleefully play in the snow, ecstatic that school is cancelled, I wonder if any reporter will have the sense to highlight someone saying something like this:
"Yeah, ain't it great!
Sometimes the climate crisis will bring us fun things like a snow day in March in DC, and sometimes it will bring us deathly heat waves across entire continents.
The one thing that we know we can count on if we don't get a handle on it: it will definitely bring an unpredictability to our weather that will wreak havoc on our economy, our public health systems, and the way we live our daily lives."