This post was written by CCAN summer intern Rachel Conrad.
As I fully submerged myself in a refreshingly cool fountain at the end of the Stop the Frack Attack rally, drowning out the chants of, “Whose water? Our water! Whose water? Our water!” I (and I imagine hundreds of other people) re-affirmed the importance of organizing and spreading information about the tremendous injustices that are being committed against our planet and its inhabitants through fossil fuel extraction.
Five thousand anti-fracking activists came together at the Capitol this past Saturday under a sun that was burning with solar energy potential, but was also thoroughly burning our faces. They came from all over the country, and some even came from Australia and Europe. They came for the first national action against fracking. They came to tell our representatives that this extreme method of fossil fuel extraction has got to go.
As a long time Maryland resident, I was happy to see a large MD contingent brave the heat before the rally at a meet up for CCANers. “Fracking is an extreme energy. And extreme energy is causing extreme weather! That is why the Chesapeake Climate Action Network is fighting fracking in Maryland,” said CCAN director, climate activist and author, Mike Tidwell, to a sweaty crowd. Images of June 29th’s derecho storm, the Midwest drought, and the wildfires in Colorado passed through my mind as Mike spoke, and a reminder of this summer’s record temperatures was way too close for comfort.
After 2 months of knocking on doors, attending events to recruit people, and calling list after list of potential rally attendees, this Saturday I received such a boost of clean and healthy energy. It was energy that flowed from the synergy that a crowd of 5,000 concerned and resolute people created, energy to continue this fight in Maryland and across the planet.
