Anthony Marr's CARE-6 tour field journal #2

2008-07-10-Thur.

Heal Our Planet Earth (HOPE)’s

Global Emergency Operation (GEO)’s

Compassion for Animals Road Expedition #6 (CARE-6)

Field Journal #2

by

Anthony Marr

founder of HOPE

lead campaigner of GEO

“road warrior” of CARE-1, CARE-2, CARE-3, CARE-4, CARE-5 & CARE-6

I left Calgary, Alberta (from Karen Orr’s home) on July 7, and am now in Missoula (staying at Anja Heister’s place. AH is the head of Footloose Montana, an anti-trapping group), Montana. On my way down I drove through Glacier National Park, MT, and was stunned by the scenery, and that is from the viewpoint of a person from spectacular British Columbia.

Media-wise, Calgary was a washout, except perhaps a feature article in the Fast Forward weekly written by a journalist who attended my presentation at the Cardel Theatre on Saturday. On Sunday, I received a message from CTV to call them. But when I did, all their cameras were tied up, and I was advised to call them again on Monday, and when I did, surprise, all their cameras were tied up again, by what? – the damned Calgary Stampede (the largest rodeo anywhere - opening day same day). Same for both newspapers the Herald and the Sun – no reporters available for anything other than the Stampede. So, my fall-back position – to do media there when I pass Calgary again in November at the end of this tour. GRRRRRRRR!

But Missoula is another matter. I will be meeting with the editor of the Independent weekly, and possibly with the Missoulian daily here is Missoula, and likely one or more media outlets in Helena and Bozeman tomorrow and/or day after.

This time, I tried out a new tack, which seems to work just as well as the time capsule – our RUNAWAY GLOBAL HEATING HAS BEGUN! I found that when I told the editor half the story on the phone, they would invite me in for the second half. When I was on the phone with Skylar Browning, editor of the Independent, he asked me after my phone spiel, “Have you ruined our interview?” I said, “No, that’s only half the story.” “Okay, why don’t you come in at 2:30 this afternoon and tell me the other half?” Done deal. No mention of the time capsule at all for this one.

Yesterday, I went to the University of Montana @ Missoula to have a 1-hour meeting with Dr. Steve Running. Dr. Running is a co-laureate (with Al Gore and 4 others) of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on global warming, and one of the scientists of the IPCC panel. Some highlights of our conversation:

1. How much influence did Exxon Mobil have on the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Exxon was the only Big Oil on the panel)? Answer: Not much.
2. How many scientists on the panel? Answer: ~600.
3. Why was methane clathrate not mentioned in the IPCC summary report? No clear answer.
4. I ran my thesis that RUNAWAY GLOBAL WARMING HAS BEGUN past him for feedback. He did not refute it, but said that he would not use the term in his own position, since he wanted to return to the IPCC for the next assessment report, so has to stay away from shock statements, but again, he agreed in principle. So, HOPE-GEO remains the first organization in world history to have made this claim, and it is proving to be a trump-card.
5. Prognosis. Answer: He opines that the world must get together to solve global warming within the next 5 years, and must come up with the technology to combat runaway global warming (i.e. carbon capture and sequestration) within 10 years.
6. Is he optimistic about these? Answer: He is optimistic about the technology, but not about the world getting together (which is what HOPE-GEO is all about).
7. What does he think of the Global Green Fund idea? Answer: Excellent, as long as we can make it a reality.
8. What does he think about the Alberta tar sands? Answer: He actually knows less about it than I do, and was visually shocked at what I told him.

Tomorrow, I will go to Bozeman to meet with the Wildlife Conservation Society, then do Bozeman media, then drive on due east.

More later.