Media Credit: Daniel Bachhuber Participants in the second Step It Up campaign march toward Autzen Stadium to show their support for the growing concern of climate change. [Click to enlarge]

The University was home to multiple events on Saturday afternoon that featured cheers, chants and large groups of people committed to a common cause.

Along with the football game at Autzen Stadium, approximately 350 people gathered at the EMU Amphitheater to celebrate the "Step It Up" campaign's second Day of Action, a crowd that far exceeding event organizer Jesse Hough's initial goal of 100 participants.

"I'm ecstatic," said Hough, who first got involved with Step It Up on its first Day of Action on Apr. 14. "I see a lot of familiar and unfamiliar faces. All of this wouldn't have been possible without all the help we've gotten," he said.

The event, which was organized to draw attention to the problem of global warming, featured appearances by Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, law professor Mary Wood and a surprise visit from University President Dave Frohnmayer.

Piercy outlined measures that Eugene is taking to conform with the city-level Kyoto Treaty more than 700 other city mayors have also signed.

"We need to use less, require less, and bring dependency down to zero," Piercy said. "We have to approach global warming like we approached the New Deal."

Piercy talked about the new sustainability office the city is developing and about how city employees are encouraged to bike, walk and utilize mass transit to get to work.

"Small choices make a big difference," Piercy concluded. "We can do it, we should do it, and we can do it together."

Wood praised the activists for their commitment to the cause. "No matter who wins the game over there (at Autzen), you are the real champions," she announced.

Wood listed numerous scientific discoveries that are showing what a danger global warming has become. She pointed out that forests and oceans are absorbing less carbon than ever before, and that the system is on the brink of runaway heating. She said government needs to lead the effort, but it is up to activists to take the message to the government.

Continued...

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