Renewable Revolution

Birke's new trick

December 19, 2018

Bill McKibben - 350.org

Delayed gratification is not easy for me — I want to win the climate fight right now, instead of watching sadly as forests burn and houses flood.

But watching my wife, Sue, teach our dog Birke this new trick (you have to watch the video) reminded me that patience is a virtue. Not too much — the climate crisis is a timed test — but enough not to walk away in frustration at political inaction or the slowness of social change.

 

Because despite the year’s manifold frustrations, there are some good signs. In fact, it feels to me like we’re finally having a moment on climate change: the terrible California fires, coinciding with massive reports from the UN and the federal government on our climate peril, seem to have reached more people.

It’s true that Donald Trump is a dangerous climate denier — but that actually seems to be convincing most Americans that the climate crisis is very real and very risky.

So now’s the time to press forward hard and fast. We need your active participation in the climate movement — that’s by far the most important thing, as the young people flooding Capitol Hill for a Green New Deal are showing daily.

One way you can participate is by helping to fund this important work. We need some resources as we scale up our collective efforts to address the magnitude of the problem.

350.org remains (gulp) the biggest group on planet Earth whose only mission is fighting climate change . We’re not actually all that big (there are about 160 staffers), and we pinch pennies hard. So if you have some spare ones, send them our way.

And give your dog a biscuit for me!

With thanks,

Bill McKibben

350.org is building a global climate movement. You can connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and text 350 to 83224 to get important mobile action alerts.  Become a sustaining donor to keep this movement strong and growing. Looking for other ways to get involved? Check out our map to see if there's a local 350 group or event near you.