On my way to the Hill

Last week I found out that I won the Consequence '09 Organize to be Heard Challenge!  Since November I have been entering 'climate organizing activities' into the challenge's website and getting points for things like published letters to the editors, media hits and organizing letter writing parties.  It turns out that I am one of the ten students from across the country who got the most points so I am being flown to DC for a week full of climate activism!  Some highlights of the schedule are a meeting with Senator John Kerry, a press conference with the Hip Hop Caucus and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, as well as meetings with the staff of Senators Boxer, Nelson, Wyden, Merkley, Feinstein and Lugar.  I am flying out of Eugene right now and I will be back on Friday!  I'll be sure to give an update of the trip!

Anatomy of a Meltdown

This title has two meanings.  One refers to COP15 and one refers to myself.  There is no way to describe what this week has been like.  It has been an absolute emotional roller coaster, and since yesterday I have felt like I have failed.  So many of you have believed in me, and it seems like this conference is going to end with nothing, and since I am here I can't help feeling like that is partially my fault.  I know this is absolutely ridiculous, and I guess I just had unrealistic expectations for what could happen at this conference and what I could do at this conference, but I now feel completely jaded about the entire political process.

Today the CCN met with Jeremiah Baumann, Senator Merkley's legislative aid for energy and the environment at a hotel one metro stop past the Bella Center.  (He was amazing, by the way!!  And I am one hundred percent glad that Senator Merkley represents Oregon!) We met at this kind of posh hotel that was bustling with people who were there for the conference, including official delegations.  In the lobby there was this sign for side events for the Carbon Trading Exchange (or something, I'm not sure), and it had the logos of all of its sponsors: Chevron, BP, Shell, Goldman Sachs.  And it hit me.  We have been focusing our efforts in the wrong place.  The Bella Center is not where the negotiations go down.  It is at these hotels where delegates are schmoozed by business leaders.  I guess coming from the US, I should have known this already, but it just kind of solidified for me what is happening here.

I'm sorry that this blog post is so depressing... Unfortunately, it is probably less depressing than it could be.  But there is one thing that gives me strength, and I'm so thankful to my new friends for reminding me of this: the climate movement is not giving up.  The youth and the environmental NGOs aren't going to stop until we achieve climate justice, even if it takes 6 months or 6 years.