Soaring Temperatures, Solar Panels, Plastic Bags and David Letterman – It’s a wRAP, September 3, 2010

Follow Climate Change activist Bill McKibben on his “road trip” from Maine to Washington, with the kids in your life. Bill will be making his way beginning September 7th and arriving at the White House on September 9th, accompanied by one of the original solar panels that was on the White House 31 YEARS AGO. Bill plans to ask President Obama to put his “solar panel” where his mouth is, and reinstall solar panels on the White House, vividly demonstrating the Obama administration’s commitment to a new “green economy!”

Sadly, a bill to ban plastic bags in California failed in the state assembly this week, for the third time. Although public support as well as the California Grocers Association was behind the bill, the American Chemistry Council industry lobby group spent millions on TV and print ads to suppress the bill. California already has a wide range of municipal standards on plastic bags, from outright bans, to paying for bags, to requirements for different size stores. This bill would have created a standard for bag distribution around the state. In California alone, over 19 BILLION plastic bags a year are thrown away, only a fraction of which are recycled! Plastic bags are made from fossil fuels, creating an endless cycle of greenhouse gases, as well as pollution in our oceans and landfills by a product that “never goes away!” Does your community have a plastic bag ban, is it discussing having one? Let us know!

Japan becomes the 18th country (and counting) around the world that has recorded it’s hottest summer on record this year! The upside for Japan, according to a Japanese government report, is that retail sales rose 3.9% over last year, as more people bought summer clothing, cooling products and cold drinks! Scientists have also now confirmed that July was the hottest month on record for our world oceans.

Our September Climate Mama, “Diz” Glithero is someone you will want to meet, and to “introduce” your kids to. Described by Canadian Living Magazine as part “Ms. Frizzle” from the Magic School Bus, Diz is a passionate, committed, and inspirational spokesperson for how we can tackle the challenge of climate change! Also this week, we have a longer video “peek” than usual, but who can resist David Letterman, particularly when he is chatting about climate change!