Erik Assadourian: tea parties for the climate?

• Position: WORLDWATCH FIRST PERSON - Essay

On March 2nd, I and about 2,500 other people showed up at the Spirit of Justice Park, just south of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in order to march around the coal- and gas-fired Capitol Power Plant and blockade the entrances. The police were out in force, and we were risking arrest for trespassing, unlawful assembly, and disorderly conduct.

It was a bitterly cold and snowy day, so raising a crowd of 2,500 felt like a success. As a group, we drew attention to this polluting power plant just blocks away from the Capitol. A few brave journalists defied the elements to report the events, and organizers worked to expand the ranks of the climate movement. And just days before the protest (after months of protest...