Tomorrow will be the culmination of a week of actions for Mothers Out Front. Each day this week we have stood out in front of the Massachusetts State House in order to make a public statement about how urgent and critical the effects of climate change are to the future of our children. It has been an uplifting experience to see the many committed mothers, grandmothers and other allies there each day fighting for a livable future for all children. I wrote the following narrative for this week of actions. Each day someone from a community team has read it. Tomorrow will be my turn.
Power Up For Our Children's Future
We are mothers, grandmothers and allies who have come together out of our shared concerns about the future of our children and grandchildren in the face of climate change. We believe that the values that drive us, and our concern for the future, link us with concerned citizens and parents across the country and around the world.
We have met in each other's living rooms, in coffee houses, and at the Massachusetts State House, and from this work we are building a national movement. We have a strategy for creating a clean energy future, and our power is growing every day. We know that in order to address climate change, we must work toward a swift and complete transition away from fossil fuels, to clean and renewable energy. To do our part, in our own homes, we are practicing energy conservation and efficiency and we are switching our electricity to clean and renewable energy sources. At the community level, we are asking our local leaders to do the same in their homes, and in businesses and municipal buildings.
Furthermore, at the state level, we met with Governor Patrick to tell him our vision for making Massachusetts the first state to meet all new energy needs with only clean and renewable sources. We asked him to make this his legacy in his final months as the leader of a state whose citizens have long prized its natural beauty and historic record of accomplishment. Every day Governor Patrick faces a choice: Invest in the technologies of the past, or invest in the future. We believe that the ONLY acceptable decision is one that creates a brighter future for all children, one that is healthy, vibrant and prosperous.
Although Governor Patrick has met with us twice, he has not yet agreed to our proposal. Massachusetts and the nation need him to understand that climate change is the most critical issue facing humanity. We need him to see that we understand the FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW: Now is the time to make these decisions because the window of opportunity to make a change is closing.
That is why we are here today. We have met with the governor. We have asked him politely but firmly (the way mothers do!) to make Massachusetts the first state to meet all new energy needs with only clean and renewable energy sources. We are grateful for the good work he has done, and we are participating in his Energy Agenda meetings. Yet, this is not enough to ensure that our children will have a bright future. The current path is a dark one: pipelines lead to polluted air and water, sick children, methane leaks and a warmer planet. This is the WRONG path! We urge Governor Patrick to put Massachusetts on the RIGHT path, one that includes clean and renewable energy, a livable climate and healthy, bright prospects for all children. And we look forward to working with our next governor, Charlie Baker, to continue our transition in Massachusetts to clean and renewable energy.
