Getting Involved is What Matters

It's so easy to be disillusioned; disheartened; disenfranchised when you look this oily beast in the eye; they've got more money than the rest of the world combined. But tonight, I heard a few people say some things that put steam back in my sails and made me feel like I'm a part of something incredibly important.

The event was a fundraiser for David Sager, who is running for NY State Senate against a longtime, popular senator who has recently changed his tune from "Drill Baby Drill" to "Maybe Drill Next Year". And at first intro, most people say "Oh, he doesn't have a chance" and they write him off, even if they wish he could actually win.

But the reality is that Mr. Sager has the power of believers on his side; people who are fighting tooth and nail with him to prevent New York from becoming a disaster area; to lessen the painful burden of property taxes; and to deal with issues that have been ignored on the state level for too too long.

I felt fortunate to be in this room of people who are fighting so incredibly hard to protect New York. People who have taught me everything I know about hydrofracking... people who know how to make waves, who are well-connected, and who's passion and love for this area is overflowing.

Mark Ruffalo, the actor, was in attendance tonight and in his short speech he said about disheartened people, "Obviously they're not writing enough letters to their senators". What a great get-off-your-behind call to action! And he's perfectly right. It's a simple, fast thing that anyone can do and it makes a tremendous difference!

When David Sager got up to talk he said that his campaign may not be well-financed like his opponent's; but he's on the side of "right", and he's got the "right" people behind him. Looking around the room at the array of people, I had to agree with him. Maybe, in this case, Right Makes Might.

I listened to a man who talked about puttiong his money into creating a farm powered by renewable energy, and about how excited he is for the future of his young son. There was lots of conversation about how to link up the fight against carbon to the renewable energy industry; how to expand the coalitions of the grassroots behind a unified voice.

And may people talked about Wind power - how it's so successful some places, and yet we're doing so little with it when we have such great wind resources.

So .... there is an army of people working tirelessly to save our habitat. Really extraordinary people; not drones. You don't have to feel alone or helpless in this fight.... just do whatever you can to make a difference, and think of all the other people out there who are doing the same.