On April 17 in Brattleboro there will be a march calling on local, state, and federal politicians to do more to address climate change. Marches are a big part of the reason Vermont Yankee closed, the civil rights movement had the successes it did, apartheid ended, women won the right to vote, and the labor movement built the middle class.

In recent years, 9 million people a year have died of starvation. Droughts, floods, and unseasonable heat and cold -- all caused by climate change -- make it harder for farmers to grow food.

The web site of the Center for Biological Diversity is an excellent source of information about the causes of, and solutions to, climate change.

The Brattleboro march will start at 1 p.m. at Living Memorial Park and go down Western Avenue to Pliny Park, then slowly along Main Street to the co-op. People who are unable to walk a mile in 15 minutes should join the march at Pliny Park. In case of heavy rain the march will be postponed. If in doubt about the weather check ValleyPost.org after 9 a.m. on April 17.

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In Holyoke on March 7, ten or so people held signs on an overpass over Interstate 91. According to an email from the organizers, the signs related to, “We stand in Solidarity with all native nations: Wet'suwet'en, Inupiat and Gwich'in Peoples; We won't accept Dirty Biomass; The Climate Emergency is priority #1,” and other issues. The below photo shows the protest. Photo provided by the organizers.

"We'll be doing our next one in Bernardston, details available from wendellstateforest@gmail.com," organizer Gia Neswald told the Valley Post.