People's Climate March, September 2014

Introduction. On Sunday, September 21, 2014, New York City will host the largest and most diverse climate-related demonstration in history. The People's Climate March is timed to coincide with a gathering of world leaders for the United Nations Climate Summit 2014. The Summit is intended to “galvanize and catalyze global climate action." Simultaneous events are planned in dozens of countries around the world.

Efforts are under way to organize a Quaker presence in the March as part of a wider religious contingent, and to arrange hospitality for Friends coming to the March from a distance.

Latest Developments

• Latest Quaker information (Thursday, Sep 18, 5 pm) for Friends going to the Climate March.
  • Brooklyn Meeting Info.
• Important: Latest March information from the March organizers.
• NEW: Quaker Video Channel for the March—suggestions and links for shooting and uploading to YouTube
• Important Logistics—Please read this important information from the organizers of the March if you are going.
• #ClimateMarchQuakers—Follow this hashtag to stay in touch, especially during the March.
• Climate March "Sound off"— On Sept. 21 at 1 pm, people all over the country are going to “sound off” outdoors in support of climate action for 5 minutes and 50 seconds: 350 seconds, for the goal of 350 parts carbon per million. More at greenfaith.org.
• Quaker Groups Statement to the leaders attending the Climate Summit.
• Climate March Statistics—fun and encouraging numbers from 350.org.

Climate March Basics

• March time & place: 11:30, beginning from Columbus Circle.
  • Quaker contingent—time: We march with the Faith contingent and that contingent will be one of the last to step into the March. One Friend with some experience estimates roughly a 2-hour wait.
  • Quaker contingent—place: The Faith contingent will gather on West 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues.
• March Route: Begin at Columbus Circle, 59th St and 8th Ave, marching east on 59th Street to 6th Avenue, turning right (south) on 6th Avenue to 42nd Street, turning right (west) to 11th Avenue, turning left (south) to 34th Street. End location: 11th Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets.
• Quaker bus from Ithaca—Sign up for the bus taking Friends to New York directly from Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting, Saturday, Sep 20.
• Quaker bus from Powell House—Cost is $30. Leaves PoHo at 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning and leaves NYC about 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. To check availability and request a seat, email Mike Clark at chrisandmike@powellhouse.org. See PoHo's Climate March web page.
• Peoples Climate March website.
• March logistics—March route (and map), March agreements, what to bring and not to bring, etc., form the March organizers.
• Worship before the March. Friends universally agree they want to worship; the most likely site is Fifteenth Street meetinghouse. Look for an update on this soon.
• Program. There will be no formal program of speakers or such at the end of the March; part of the strategy to be as inclusive as possible.

Quaker sign-up and other resources on the March:

• Hospitality website—Find and offer hospitality in the New York metro area for Friends coming to the March. Note that space is limited and we might not be able to find a place for everyone. Supported by NYYM.
  • More faith-based hospitality—from the March organizers.
  • Secular hospitality option—requires that you sign up.
• Carpool to the March—For rides to the March.
• #ClimateMarchQuakers—For Friends with Twitter accounts, follow #ClimateMarchQuakers to be in the feed for communications up to and during the March.
• Sign-in page for Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) for Friends planning to attend the march.
• Main QEW page for the march.
• FCNL write-up about the march
• Eartcare Working Group contacts: Pamela Boyce Simms or Patricia Chernoff.
• Faith-based Climate Petition—A petition to the President and Congress to provide climate and social justice leadership.

Resources and perspectives on the March

• International Activities surrounding the March
• Quaker UN Perspective on the March, from the QEW representative to the UN

Hospitality. Click the following for a Survey Monkey Hospitality website, where you can find hospitality in the New York City metropolitan area—or offer hospitality. For hospitality information and March logistics, please contact: Margaret Lew and Maureen Healy of 15th Street Meeting.

Transportation.

• Buses, ride‐shares, and Amtrak discounts can be found at peoplesclimate.org/transportation.
• For rides to the March: Carpool link

NYYM Minute on the March. Responding to the request of the Earthcare Working Group and 15th Street Meeting during Summer Sessions, on Friday, July 25, 2014, the gathered body of the Yearly Meeting approved the Yearly Meeting's support of the People's Climate March, including registering as a pariticipating organization. Here is the text of the Yearly Meeting's minute:

2014-07-38. Pamela Boyce Simms (Hudson) with Margaret Lew (Fifteenth Street ) spoke for the Earthcare Working Group in requesting a Quaker presence at the People’s Climate March planned for September 21, 2014. The group requested that NYYM register with the March as a participant group and publicize the March throughout the Yearly Meeting. The Fifteenth Street Meetinghouse will be open for overnight hospitality, and Yearly Meeting offices and staff will also provide support. Brooklyn Meeting and other nearby meetings plan to join this effort. Friends approved.

Other dates and locations for related marches (as of August 4):

• Friday, August 8, 12–1:30, Reformed Church of Highland Park, NJ
• Monday, August 25, 9:30–11, Presbyterian Church of White Plains, NY
• Thursday, August 28, 7–8:30 pm, Temple Beth Sholom, Teaneck, NJ
• Monday, September 8, 6–7:30 pm, Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, NY