After careful consideration, we have decided that the best course of action at this point is to end the Vigil for Climate Silence at noon today, Monday. This storm is predicted to cause dangerous winds, disruptive flooding and power outages and the public transit system may not remain open through the storm. We feel that safety of participants and making sure people don’t get stranded downtown without a way to get home is more important than sticking it out.

Thanks to everyone who came out this morning and those who planned to come in later. Thanks to the folks who made it through last night’s night shift.  See this morning’s great story about the Vigil from WBUR!

We should all feel proud of what we have accomplished in the last week and move forward with resolve and energized for our next effort.   Thank you to all who participated.

We have a ton of video footage and photos that we will be posting in the coming days.  Please send any stories, photos and videos to photos@350ma.org.

This storm is further evidence of what we are facing as a result of climate change and why we need to make sure it is part of the public debate. Please take this opportunity to communicate this in the coming days. Onward!

Good morning, climateers!

The Vigil to End Climate Silence continues on Government Center plaza in downtown Boston.

I just got off the phone with Jay O’Hara from Cape Cod, who was on the overnight shift of the vigil. He is in good spirits and said the overnight crew did well (of course, they got wet).  The 6am shift captains (Tom and Kerry Thompson from Central Mass) are on site, and they have the church key.

Current Conditions at Vigil Site as of 6:30am

12:08 am, Monday, October 29th

There are currently people vigiling overnight.   We’re keeping the Vigil going for tomorrow morning and keeping the church open (131 Cambridge Street) for people to take shelter if needed.  We’ll post an update on the website early in the morning (hopefully by 7am).

At this point, being at the Vigil is not about connecting with people, but about making a powerful statement.   Please, do make the decision that is right for you about whether or not to join Monday 10/30.

Join us on Government Center plaza anytime from now until Tuesday at noon. We’ll keep you updated on any storm-related changes. Preliminary storm planning l  is below.

But first, join us today (Sunday, October 28th) for some special guests!

4:15pm Green Party Presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein (of Lexington, MA) contacted us to let us know she’ll be coming to the vigil at 4:15pm today. Jill will speak, and you can be sure that the #ClimateSilence will be broken.

As you know, this vigil is non-partisan. We did not reach out to any campaign to visit the vigil. The Stein/Honkala campaign recognized the importance of this action and made it a priority to attend.  We welcome all elected leaders and candidates for office to do the same.

Melodeego will be on-site today playing their climate-conscious Soul ‘n Roll!

5:30 Bill McKibben (journalist, author and founder of 350.org) joins the vigil!

Monday and Tuesday Frankenstorm Sandy Plans

The vigil will go on as long as it is safe to be outside on Government Center.  Old West Church (United Methodist) at 131 Cambridge Street will be available for our use throughout these days. People are invited to bring a change of clothes to leave in the church so you can change into dry clothing after taking a shift in the rain and wind.  For the overnight shift, we’ll take turns being out in the weather (shorter than 3 hour shifts). We know that climate change models have been predicting that storms of this magnitude will be more frequent, and we can only expect that such storms will continue to worsen in the coming years. Now is the time to demonstrate our concern for and solidarity with people and the planet (including the loss of life and economic effects of such destructive storms). We will have ponchos for outdoors, as well as coffee and hot chocolate indoors at the church. We have use of the kitchen (No oven, but there is a microwave oven). People who are not able to commit to taking an outdoor shift in the storm are invited to bring more ponchos, to bring coffee, hot chocolate, soup/stew/chili, and other foods to warm the vigilers.  To coordinate these donations and with questions re: outdoor shifts, contact Marla Marcum 781-475-0996,  marla@350ma.org

We are the leaders we have been waiting for!  45 people participated in the 2^nd day of the vigil!  It was our first full 24 hour day.

1) From Day 2 Vigil participant Bill Holland:  “I arrived about 7:45am,  joining the three people who had been there for the previous shift.  Several other people showed up and while all seven of us were there we called the Warren and Brown offices.  As the 8:00 shift got underway we had five vigilers.  We were six by 9:00am.  Three people walked up toward the T entrance and held signs while two of us held up the “Denial Is Not an Energy Policy” sign next to the main vigil banner.  We called out “Good morning” to people who came near and received supportive responses.  A couple people showed particular interest and we invited them to sign the guest book, which they did.  Several people particularly acknowledged us for being there.  Charley took over as Shift Captain at 9:00.  All in all it was an hour well spent.”

Remember that everyone of your presence counts!  We are so completely grateful for those who have stood out already and can’t wait for everyone else to join.

2) Every group of vigilers yesterday ended their shift by calling the Campaign Headquarters of Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown and said:

Hi, (give time of day),

My name is ________.  I am here with (#) other people participating in the weeklong, round-the-clock Vigil to End Climate Silence on climate change.

Climate change is the single most urgent threat to our future, to national security, and to the stability of our world.  Despite this, our elected leaders and those who seek office have remained silent on the issue.  We, as voters in the Commonwealth of MA, ask that Scott Brown/Elizabeth Warren inform the public about their position on climate change and lay out a concrete plan for taking leadership to address it.  We ask them to make this a central part of the October 30^th debate, even if the moderator does not ask about it.

What do we want?     ALL: “Break the Climate Silence at the Debate!”  Thank you for your time.

3) Another highlight for the day 2:  Karl Thidemann of Somerville Climate Action made and brought a pecan pie! Bring food if you want!  Thank you Karl!  Others, please feel free to bring by some food for vigilers.

4) Don’t forget to submit questions to WBUR  ( feedback@wgbh.org) and John King of CNN http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?118, who will be moderating the last MA senate race debate next Tuesday night 10/30!

5) Finally, check out this incredible “Do the Math” wrap made by Shea Riester, Divestment Coordinator at Better Future Project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeg9PABdj_g

50 people came out to Vigil to End Climate Silence at Government Center in Boston last night, October 23^rd.   The Vigil was kicked-off by rousing speeches by special guest Gus Speth, BU Public Health Professor Richard Clapp, and Better Future Project Executive Director Craig Altemose.  Gus Speth, author and current professor at Vermont Law School, and whose positions have included Chairman of the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality under Bill Clinton, Keystone XL protester/arrestee, and founder of Natural Resources Defense Council, joined the vigil on the day his 6^th grandchild was born.

Reverend Reebee Girash led the group in a grounding meditation, Marla Marcum led the group in singing “Gentle Angry People” and Dean Stevens in other songs.

Many passersby stopped to talk to vigillers, signed the guest book, expressed appreciation and pledged to return later this week.  Words were exchanged in Spanish and Swahili and someone gave the group $20 to buy coffee.

Around 10pm, a family from Kenya emerged from the T at Government Center and made a b-line to participants of the Vigil.  They excitedly shared that they volunteer for 350.org at home and were thrilled to meet Americans standing up to address the climate crisis.

By midnight Lisa Purdy, Ben Thompson, Dorian Williams, Anna Lello-Smith and her mom, Denise Lello, John Griese, Roman Madaus, Marla Marcum, and one other settled in for a cold, but dry, 6 hour long night shift.  Bonnie Cockman arrived at 6am this morning to relieve them and to start the first shift of day 2.

Between 5:30pm and 6am this morning, the Brown and Warren Campaigns had already gotten 5 phone calls from the Vigil to urge them to end their climate silence during the last debate on October 30^th.

More to come!

Send in questions about climate change for Tuesday, October 30th Scott Brown/Elizabeth Warren debate to feedback@wgbh.org.

The Vigil to End Climate Silence will take place from Tuesday, Oct. 23rd at 5:30pm to Tuesday Oct. 30th at noon at Government Center in Boston.

Click here to sign up for a shift at the vigil.
Click here for vigil location, directions, and schedule.
Download fliers to post around town and spread the word!

Why the Vigil to End Climate Silence?

It’s time to break the silence on climate in the Massachusetts Senate race.

Climate change is the biggest threat the world has ever faced, and we’re quickly running out of time to take action. Countless lives are at stake, yet candidates and the media skirt the issue or fail to mention it at all.

So from October 23-30, Massachusetts residents will participate in a round-the-clock Vigil to End Climate Silence at Government Center in Boston. We encourage those who live far away to organize their own satellite rallies and spread the word.

We need bold climate policies and true leadership, as each passing second without action deepens the crisis we face. Here in Massachusetts, we watched the recent debates in Lowell and Springfield with a sense of growing disbelief. It was business-as-usual and politics-as-usual, with not a single mention of climate change.

We ask that candidates for federal office in Massachusetts spell out their positions on climate change between now and the election, particularly at the October 30th debate—even if the debate moderator or other journalists do not ask them about it.

We need to know whether the candidates acknowledge the climate crisis as the biggest issue of our time. We need to know whether they will make climate change a top policy priority—beginning with a vote to repeal the billions of dollars in federal subsidies and giveaways to the fossil fuel industry, the very industry that is destroying our climate and our future.

Unless people across the country stand up and provide a moral counter-weight to the money and power of the fossil fuel industry, climate change will not be a top priority for elected officials or a central issue in political campaigns. Right now, there’s no better place to take this stand than in Massachusetts, where the US Senate race is in the national spotlight.

Will you help us put climate change in the national spotlight too?  Click here to sign up for a shift at the vigil.

We hope to see you standing with us in Boston next week.

Onward,

Vanessa, Craig, Marla, and the 350 Massachusetts team

This message was sent on behalf of our partners at 350 Massachusetts. The Vigil to End Climate Silence is sponsored by 350 Massachusetts, the Better Future Project, Massachusetts Climate Action Network, Religious Witnesses for the Earth, and Students for a Just and Stable Future.

Dear Friends,

This is it. The time to break the silence on climate in this election is now.

As Bill McKibben, James Hansen, and many other respected climate scientists and leaders have made clear, time is running out to take action and preserve a livable climate.

This fall, Massachusetts is in the national spotlight with a pivotal U.S. Senate race. It’s time to step up and ensure that climate change is taken seriously in this election and that both candidates — Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren — commit to protecting the people of this Commonwealth. That’s why we’re calling upon whoever wins the election to lead the fight to repeal billions of dollars in federal subsidies and giveaways to the fossil fuel industry — the very industry that is destroying our climate and our future.

The time to send the message is now. But we need your help to do it.

Starting in late October and continuing through Election Day, join us in a round-the-clock vigil for a safe, just, and livable future for all at Government Center in Boston. Rallies, with keynote speakers, will be held at strategic times to bring as many of your voices as possible to this call to action.

Can you commit to attending a shift for this vigil? Sign up here.

This vigil will be the culmination of a series of efforts to raise awareness about fossil fuel subsidies and the climate crisis in communities across the Commonwealth.  Even if you can’t attend the vigil, please sign up here to spread the word about the fact that oil, gas, and coal companies received $11 billion in taxpayer money last year.

Massachusetts is in the national spotlight. It’s time for us to put the climate crisis — and our government’s giveaways to the fossil fuel industry — in the spotlight too.

Onward,

350 Massachusetts
Better Future Project
Massachusetts Climate Action Network
Religious Witness for the Earth
Students for a Just and Stable Future

For information about joining 350MA outside tonight’s Brown/Warren debate at UMass Lowell, see post below.

If you can’t make it in person, help us blast a twitter and facebook storm!

Dear friends,

It’s another critical night for the U.S. Senate race here in Massachusetts — which means it’s another critical night for the issue of climate change in American politics.

Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren meet in their second debate TONIGHT, at 7:00pm on WHDH-TV (Ch. 7), NECN, and CSPAN. The debate will also be streamed online at bostonherald.com.

Again, let’s use our social media platforms — before, during, and after the debate — to make climate, fossil-fuel subsidies, and clean energy part of the conversation.

Here’s what you need to know to join the effort on Twitter:

- Tonight’s moderator is David Gregory, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” On Twitter @davidgregory — let him hear from us, starting NOW.

- The official hashtag for the debate is #masendebate (also use #masen when possible).

- Warren’s and Brown’s official Twitter accounts are @elizabethforma and @scottbrownma

Those on Facebook, Google+, and other platforms, please use them tonight as well.

If you plan to join in this effort tonight, please let us know by responding to vanessa@betterfutureproject.org, so we’ll have a sense of how many are participating.

Climate change is, or should be, a nonpartisan issue. But it’s not an issue at all unless we make it one — by making our voices heard.

Thanks, and see you online,

Wen Stephenson,
volunteering for 350 Massachusetts