Against a backdrop of glitzy brand names on one of the most famous streets in the world, a couple of hundred people of all ages and ethnicities gathered on a sunny Sunday morning in Waikiki this past weekend to send a message to Paris. One of the rally's most conspicuous personalities was the Polar Bear, and it got the interest of three year old Lewis Gosline (extreme left). Young Lewis was making an early commitment to fighting climate change, accompanied by his parents, Kihwa and William Gosline.
350.org member Sherry Pollack, helping the Polar Bear make its way through the rally, was one of the key organizers of the rally, along with David Mulinix, also a member of 350.org and Idle No More Hawaiʻi.
Another budding activist, four year old Liam, was accompanied by his aunt, Marmelyn Panuelo, and her friend, Dawn Jacob, originally from Pohnpei in Micronesia. Members of a group that calls itself "MAD (Mile-a-Day) MOMS," they were part of the Climate March and Rally in Honolulu, in solidarity with nearly 2500 other events around the world to pressure politicians gathered in Paris to act now to address global warming.
"How do we tell who we are, or where we come from if our islands don't exist anymore?" That's the question Panuelo has for those meeting in Paris this week.
"1.5 to stay Alive: That's our slogan," says Panuelo. The politicians can talk about not letting temperatures rise 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. We think our survival in the islands depends on not letting temperatures rise more than 1.5°C. Scientists say that would protect at least 50% of all existing coral reefs--and it would protect us." Panuelo explained.
Under the watchful gaze of the statue of Gandhi, who urged us to be the change we want to see, the Pacific Climate Warriors lent their voices to others being raised around the world calling for more urgent action on climate change.
Conflating the Syrian refugee crisis and the plight of climate change refugees, Pacific Island poet on climate colonialism, Craig Santos Perez, read from "Care," one of his recent poems, dedicated to his baby daughter, playing under the watchful eye of her mother as her father spoke:
I hope your love will teach the nations
that emit the most carbon and violence that they should,
instead, remit the most compassionn.
Each speaker and musician at the Sunday morning event had one call to action: tell someone about climate change. Against the well-funded cacophony of climate deniers, each of us who feel the urgency of this challenge can help friends and family, neighbors and co-workers, understand that the danger is real, that the science is real and that we can and must act now.
Henk Rogers, who started Blue Planet Foundation was withering in his outrage at the continuing attachment to fossil fuels.
If Iceland can do it, why can't we?
He spoke of having visited Iceland which has one of the lowest energy costs in the world. "Iceland gave up fossil fuels in 1972. They use geothermal. Why can't we, in Hawaiʻi, tap our geothermal resources? Solar and wind can now give us cheaper energy than fossil fuels. Don't believe anyone who tells you that we cannot afford to get off fossil fuels. Truth is, we cannot afford to stay on them." Referring to proposals to import liquefied natural gas, he asked: "LNG: How dare they call it "natural" gas? It's methane. Why are we even thinking of importing this disease into Hawaiʻi?"
Henk Rogers waits to take the microphone at the Climate Justice Rally.
Speaking to Hawaii News Now and at the event, 350.org Hawaiʻi chair, Brodie Lockard, spoke of the progress Hawaiʻi has already made, citing the action by the University of Hawaiʻi to divest from fossil fuels earlier in the year and the legislative commitment to becoming a 100% green energy state by 2045.
"We want to send a very strong message to world leaders that we are way overdue on setting as stringent as possible targets for a transition to a green economy. They need to act now to keep fossil fuels in the ground."
Brodie Lockard, Chair of 350.org Hawaiʻi talks to a Hawaii News Now reporter
The Honolulu Climate March was sponsored by 350Hawaii.org, Citizens' Climate Lobby, DeOccupy Honolulu, Hawai'i Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights, Hawai'i Interfaith Power & Light, Idle No More Hawai'i, MoveOn.org Honolulu Council, Revolution Books, Sierra Club Hawai'i, Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter, World Can't Wait.
Kauai County Council member and founder of HAPA, Gary Hooser also spoke at the event, as did Rep. Chris Lee. Hawaiian Music Legend Liko Martin performed with Laulani Teale.