Drawing attention to the threats of global warming and the continued burning of coal, 2,500 demonstrators blockaded a coal-fired power plant that produces energy for the U.S. Capitol. The blockade lasted four hours and prompted a large show of force by police at the plant, but no arrests. NASA climate scientist James Hansen was one of the leaders of the protest and was joined by climate change activists such as Bill McKibben, Paul Hawken, and actress Darryl Hannah. Publicity about the demonstration may have played some role in last week’s announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid asking the Capitol Architect to switch the Capitol Power Plant from coal to natural gas by the end of this year. The demonstration followed a weekend conference in Washington, Power Shift 2009, at which 12,000 high school and college students discussed strategies for slowing global warming.
More Than 2,000 Protesters Blockade Gates At U.S. Capitol Power Plant
More From E360
-
Oceans
Dire Straits: Can a Fishing Ban Save the Elusive European Eel?
-
Climate
Scientists Are Trying to Coax the Ocean to Absorb More CO2
-
INTERVIEW
Marina Silva on Brazil’s Fight to Turn the Tide on Deforestation
-
Solutions
Solomon Islands Tribes Sell Carbon Credits, Not Their Trees
-
INTERVIEW
With Sea Turtles in Peril, a Call for New Strategies to Save Them
-
RIVERS
Jared Kushner Has Big Plans for Delta of Europe’s Last Wild River
-
Energy
A Nuclear Power Revival Is Sparking a Surge in Uranium Mining
-
OPINION
Despite Official Vote, the Evidence of the Anthropocene Is Clear
-
INTERVIEW
At 11,500 Feet, a ‘Climate Fast’ to Save the Melting Himalaya
-
Oceans
Octopuses Are Highly Intelligent. Should They Be Farmed for Food?
-
Climate
Nations Are Undercounting Emissions, Putting UN Goals at Risk
-
Solutions
As Carbon Air Capture Ramps Up, Major Hurdles Remain