By Cindy Mullet
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
With their mission statements, “Low Carbon Crossings” and “Cycling Toward Climate Solutions” emblazoned on their shirts, cyclists Mindy Ahler and Ryan Hall leave no doubt what they want to communicate as they bicycle from Seaside, Ore., to Washington, D.C.
“We want to inspire people to take action on climate change,” Ahler explained during a stop in Glendive on Monday.
Their goal, according to the Low Carbon Crossings web page, “is to motivate people to take action in a way that inspires them, gather their experiences and concerns about climate change, raise funds for Cool Planet and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, demonstrate bicycling as a fun, low-carbon way to travel and end with lobbying in D.C. to share the experience with legislators.
Ahler’s interest in climate change grew out of her work in fair trade. Seeing that many positive things happening in the areas of poverty and relief were negated by changes in the climate prompted her to begin work on that issue, she said.
For Hall active work on climate change started three years ago when he got rid of his car and changed his diet to vegetarian in an effort to reduce his carbon impact on the world. He joined AmeriCorps to do work around climate issues, he said.
Ahler and Hall met in June, and when he heard her plans for the bike ride, he decided he wanted to join.
In Montana, the two held special events in Missoula, Great Falls, Helena, Bozeman, Billings, Hardin and Miles City. They have also visited with many individuals along the way. They have been amazed at how their volunteer network managed to connect them with so many people, Ahler said.
They have also been surprised at the great reception they have received. They keep expecting more push back, but even people who disagree on the causes of climate change see the impact and are willing to talk about it, she said, adding, “Those who disagree are too polite to say anything. People tend to be kind to strangers.”
Often they find themselves talking with people who are already engaged in the discussion and looking for how to move forward. In Montana, they have been encouraging people to reach out to hunters and fishermen, she said.
They talked with a couple fly fishing shop owners who are very aware of how lower stream levels and the resulting warmer water is affecting their business. One owner displayed a chart showing historic water levels along with the current conditions. If the current trend continues, it will be the end of his business, he told them.
In Forsyth they had a long conversation with a man who worked at a coal-fired power plant, Hall said, adding that was one of their best encounters.
While they had differing ideas on how clean coal is, they agreed that coal is going away, Ahler said, noting that if coal goes, good paying jobs are lost. Something has to be found to replace them without people being forced to move and without leaving ghost towns.
Everyone needs to come to the table, Hall said. Coal miners, farmers and activists need to put down their banners and prejudices. Politicians need to start talking about change rather than about bringing a dying industry back to life.
“Don’t let politicians lie to us and give us false hope,” he said.
“We need to face what to do next, not hide from what’s coming,” Ahler added.
Working on the local level is a great way to start Hall said. In local communities purchases are votes and he would like to see people cast more votes for their neighbors than for international corporations.
Seeking solutions to climate change has to be community driven and the local community is what gives him hope, he said, relating an encounter with an Iraq War veteran in Cedar Rapids, Iowa who leads a local food movement.
When he asked her how she holds on to hope, she replied, “I drag it with me wherever I go.”
That message of hope is one they want to drag with them as they follow the Lewis and Clark cycling trail to Iowa, pick up the Northern Tier trail to Pennsylvania and then cycle a bike trail from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
As they get closer to Washington, D.C. they expect other cyclists to join them for the final leg of the ride. They plan to arrive in Washington, D.C. Nov. 13, in time to join the Citizens’ Climate Lobby sponsored education days Nov. 14 and 15.”
Reach Cindy Mullet at
crmullet@midrivers.com.