Dans Hamptons

Last Saturday across the United States, STEP IT UP 2007 staged 1,300 separate marches to call to the attention of the nation that Congress has to start taking real action to address the topic of Global Warming. In Riverhead, Erica Wolchuck was the organizer of the march that started at Green Earth Natural Foods on 50 East Main Street.

Erica, twenty-eight years old, is from Ventura, California and has been living in the Riverhead area for almost a year. She has organized the march under the auspices of a Middlebury College Professor, that being Bill McKidden's call to action. The unifying slogan across the country was, "Step it up Congress, cut carbon 80% by 2050." Erica believes the march averaged about sixty participants with 100 people attending. The march started at noon at Green Foods and went to the Library where a ten-minute rally and educational pause was taken. Then the marchers proceeded to the Peconic waterfront where lunch was served, donated by many of the local Riverhead health food stores. Also at the Peconic waterfront site were both a Wind Demonstration Shack which was constructed to inform all about the progress and potential of wind power as an alternative to carbon fuels, and an "Art of the Clothesline," which was a clothesline with information on alternatives and ideas concerning carbon fuels. This rally ended at three p.m.

Erica was very pleased to see Town of Riverhead Councilwoman Barbara Blass in attendance. She believes that the Councilwoman understands the issue. Also present were members of the Town of Riverhead Advisory Committee. Ms. Wolchuck had plenty of praise for Conservation Chair of the Sierra Club, Jessica Helm, who was very supportive and helpful.

This was the first call to action by Step It Up. The enthusiasm of the participants energized the leadership to plan more rallies and actions to educate the general public. The leadership believes that the United States Congress needs to get serious on this issue because the future of a low elevation area such as the North Fork is at risk moving forward. Erica stressed that perhaps almost the whole North Fork may be submerged if the polar caps should keep melting into the world's oceans at the accelerating rate that they are. It's just unfathomable to comprehend the way the maps of the world as we know will be affected.

With President Bush admitting a real danger if the threat of global warming is not addressed, Erica Wolchuck and others believe now is the time to call your representatives in Congress. Contact Congressman Tim Bishop , Senator Hilary Clinton, and Senator Chuck Schumer and let them know you care and are calling for them to step it up on this issue.

Because of the newness of the organization, the web site www.stepitup2007.org is sometimes still under construction and evolving, however it often still lists the most recent news on this issue and will have the schedule of all future events. There are photos of the last rally in Riverhead on the site already.

Young women like Erica Wolchuck are guardians of the environment and holders of the lantern to show the light to guide us all into a safer and healthier future. She came to the North Fork to enjoy its unique quality of life and now she is spending her spare time and energies to preserve it for future generations. Perhaps we all should Step it up!