Former Mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp to march to Washington, D.C. for climate action

Posted by Carolyn Classen

The Great March for Climate Action starts on March 1, 2014.

From www.climatemarch.org:

 "The goal of the Great March for Climate Action is to change the heart and mind of the American people, our elected leaders and people across the world to act now to address the climate crisis.

On March 1, 2014, hundreds of climate patriots will set out from Los Angeles, CA, walking 3,000 miles across America to Washington, DC, inspiring action to resolve the climate crisis. This will be one of the largest coast-to-coast marches in American history.

Marchers will be expected to adhere to a strict code of non-violence according to the principles employed by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. An addendum that explains this in greater detail will be provided before the march starts next year. Also, we will provide mandatory non-violence training at the start of the March.

The March seeks to build the broadest possible public consensus and is focused strictly on the climate crisis. Marchers will, of course, have their own personal stories and perspectives. However, it is important that we stick to the core message, in unison, with our words, signs and public presentations.

We plan to govern the March through a “city council” of marchers elected by marchers. At times, we will employ a “town meeting” style of governance involving the entire marcher community, with a simple majority vote to make a decision".

 Former Tucson Mayoral and Ward 3 candidate Mary DeCamp and her dog Birdie will be marching from Phoenix to Washington, D.C. for this Great March for Climate Action. To contribute to Mary’s efforts go to www.crowdrise.com/MaryDeCampPhoenix-DC.  You can email her at [email protected], and hopefully she will have email capability throughout this 8 month march.  Her goal is to raise $4140 and she will join this march in Phoenix on April 8. She ran for the Ward 3 Council seat in 2009, and the Mayor's seat in 2011, as a Green Party candidate.

 Expected date of arrival of this march in D.C. is November 1, 2014, a bit chilly then. I hear the goal is to walk 15 miles a day from the starting point at Wilmington, California (in Los Angeles).  About 235 marchers (from 36 states, 6 countries) have signed up so far, but you can join by going online for the application. Route map across U.S.A. available online as well.

Notables who are supporting this march: actor Ed Begley, Jr., U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), activist Jim Hightower, environmental activist Bill McKibben (www.350.org), Nobel Peace Prize winner/No. Irish activist Mairead Maguire.  

Arizona city stops: Parker, Bouse, Salome, Aguila, Wickenburg, Circle City, Wittmann, Surprise, Sun Grand City, Sun City, Sun City West, Peoria, Glendale, Phoenix, Payson, Star Valley, Forest Lakes, Heber, Heber-Overgaard, Snowflake, Concho, St Johns.  Check online as to the marchers' progress so you can cheer them on when they march into and through Arizona.