Guest Blogger

The Outer Cape Steps It Up

 Environmentalists and concerned citizens meet despite Noel

by Liz Argo 

Step It Up 2007 dawned Saturday, November 3rd, giving light to rough seas and gale winds on Cape Cod. In Wellfleet, amidst the violent weather of a spinning down hurricane, the National Day of Climate Action was heralded by a sunrise vigil at Coast Guard Beach. At first light, a small band of climate action heroes fought their way down to the water's edge despite the buffeting winds and soaking rain of Hurricane Noel to create a photo opportunity that recorded their Earth flag whipped by the wind against a backdrop of raging seas and flying whitecaps. What must the group have thought, finding themselves kicking off the day's Global Warming events, challenged by the daunting weather of a hurricane?

 But the driving rain and high winds didn't seem to keep Lower Cape Codders from coming out to hear about energy alternatives presented by the Wellfleet Town Democrats organizer Sheila Lyons. Over 60 people, including Congressman Delahunt's representative Mark Forrest, attended the free forum at the Wellfleet COA to hear Cape Cod Commission's Clay Schofield join Wellfleet Group's, Curt Felix and Loud Fuel's, Kabral Tasha in leading the group through an explanation of Biofuel opportunities now readily available on Cape Cod.  One such opportunity introduced by Curt Felix and echoed by Kabral Tasha in his capacity as a vendor of the fuel, is the switch to Biodiesel as a home heating oil alternative. It was made clear by Curt Felix that the switch to Biodiesel B20 (a 20% blend) can assure 20% of the fuel you consume is not extracted out of the ground by oil cartels and multinational oil corporations and can reduce many air emissions by 15-20%. In answer to the audience, Felix and Tasha were quick to point out that the switch has no negative ramifications beyond a slightly higher price tag.

"...in wildness is the preservation of the world." - Henry David ThoreauAs vials of biodiesel went around for attendees to see and smell, the group was also told about new less polluting automobile fuels that some cars and many busses are running on now. Clay Schofield told of the efforts at the county level to change over the county's fleet of diesel engines to burning biodiesel. Currently the National Seashore's Flex busses are running on a biodiesel blend and Schofield cited savings of $36,000 to the National Seashore, not to mention the elimination of over 15 tons of CO2, after switching to the blend last year.

Bill Worthington, the Truro appointee to the Cape Light Compact introduced Kevin Galligan, the Cape Light Compact's Energy Efficiency Program Manager, who asked for a show of hands to illustrate how many of the group utilize compact fluorescent light bulbs. The group revealed itself to be composed of typically thrifty New Englanders, with all hands in the air. Galligan gave the eager group additional handy energy conservation pointers, including a caution against plasma TVs, noting that the energy consumption of a plasma TV is more than quadruple the electrical consumption seen in the TVs of yesteryear. He advised looking into LCD brands for future TV purchases.

Safe Harbor's Gordon Peabody wrapped up the forum by presenting some of the innovative renewable energy solutions we may see coming soon. Vertical axis turbines, recycled grey water systems for home toilet flushing, and recycled plastic computer parts to replace the stones in septic systems were just some of the innovations Peabody presented.

The mood of the room was upbeat and the group was fully on board. Some of the audience had solar systems already pumping green, renewable energy into the grid and many already burned biodiesel blends to heat their home. So it was not a hard sell when the group was asked to show their support for the movement by pressing their forefingers into a green stamp pad and raising them on high. The sea of green pointers waving in the air told a tale against a backdrop of rain lashed windows as the remnants of Hurricane Noel raged outside. The Step It Up 2007 effort to bring congressional leaders around to making the critical changes necessary to reduce global warming was clearly a success at the Wellfleet COA.

But as winds of 90 mph were predicted by evening, the event organizers decided to postpone the rest of the day's activities. Thus, the "Walk With Me, Henry" hike was rescheduled for Sunday at 1:00.

As most Cape Codders know from experience, the day following a violent storm often dawns brilliantly sunny with the only testimony to the intensity of the previous day apparent in the thick leaves and fallen tree limbs littering the ground; that is to say, the only testimony beyond the electricity-less state in which many Cape Codders often find their home and businesses to be left in. Sunday, November 4th was no exception. So, under a beautiful sunny sky, attendees made their way back to resume the postponed activity, the 1:00 "Walk With Me, Henry" hike. The trip entailed weaving their way around flashing electric repair trucks with buckets dangling overhead as crews worked to restore electricity. Road closures and the absence of traffic lights made navigation an added particular challenge.

But once again the Cape Cod climate change crusaders were undeterred. An enthusiastic group of 25 hit the beach with banners and flags unfurled, optimistic about their efforts to swing the nation's leaders' focuses towards confronting serious climate change jeopardy.

While Harriet Korim, the organizer of the "Walk With Me, Henry" hike event, snapped pictures of the beach walk to be posted on the national website, www.stepitup2007.org, she made this comment.  "We've much to learn from Thoreau's quote, 'in wildness is the preservation of the world'. It is even more important today than it was in the 1850's. To honor Henry Thoreau's insight, we'll walk as close to being 'in Henry's footsteps' as we can. But with the rate of erosion we've already experienced on Cape Cod, that of 3 feet per year, Thoreau's footsteps have long since disappeared underwater."

Returning from the hike, the Step It Up group was ready to head over to the much anticipated potluck.  But the scaled down hurricane finally compromised even this group's forward motion. Without the restoration of electricity, the Wellfleet library was compelled to postpone the Sunday night pot luck event. Hurricane Noel dealt the final blow. Without electricity the library couldn't play the presentation, "Can We Do Anything about Global Warming?"