Hallelujah! Praise Gaia!

Filmmaker/activist Josh Fox takes center stage
to promote 100% independence from fossil fuels.

© 2015 Luke T. Bush

PLATTSBURGH CITY, NY – 3/8/15

Fervor was in the air on this Sunday afternoon.

The packed Plattsburgh State University lecture hall provided Josh Fox and His Solutions Grassroots Tour the perfect setting to stir up activism for renewable energy resources.

Josh, a filmmaker known for his anti-fracking Gasland documentaries, coordinated the event.  He and renewable energy maven Tim Woodcock took turns to promote zero use from planet-damaging fossil fuels.  Music by Bethany Yarrow (songstress) and Rufus (cellist) interspersed the event, songs about social justice and equality.

While he voiced his convictions to enthusiastic audience members Josh didn’t come across sartorially as a mainstream preacher.  His clothing combo: worn brown boots, scruffy blue jeans, a loose gray sport jacket over a black t-shirt, all topped off with a gray cap.   Also his countenance: unshaven.  (Well, skipping electric-razoring every day does save on power usage.)

Josh Fox.

He pointed out how frackivists – activists against fracking – helped to tamp proliferation of the eco-unfriendly practice.  He mentioned that Governor Andy Cuomo had banned fracking from New York State.  (I could argue that the Guv was trying to atone for the sin of killing the Moreland Commission before it became more than a dog and pony show.)

The main goal of the Josh’s tour was organizing congregations in local communities to share the faith in zero net energy.

The push was on to eschew all traditional energy sources polluting the world, triggering global warming/climate change.  Josh asked for volunteers to stand up and come forward, people willing to work locally for 100 % renewable.  Josh was building a grassroots movement, community by community, to create positive outcomes like fractivism had accomplished.

He talked about the Sun, how solar panel farms could wean citizens from oil and gas dependence.  In the long run renewable energy could save money as well as the planet.

Rufus [L] and Bethany Yarrow.

With a digital slide show Tim Woodcock explained various ways that a home owner could fund the addition of solar panels such as a low interest home improvement loan.  The financial aspect was doable.

News item: It’s said that Florida officials have banned the terms “global warming” and “climate change” from all state government reports, emails and other documents.

 

A future stop for Josh and his friends: the Sunshine State?  Grassroots Solutions Tour members might have to pack waders if they wait too long.  Climate change activists have stated that rising sea levels will invade Florida.  Maybe we’ll see an inundation of biblical proportions.

Glug, glug.