Fossil Fuel Zombies on Parade

CAAV members paraded as Fossil Fuel Zombies for the Carnival de Resistance Power Down/ Lift Up! parade in downtown Harrisonburg on September 19, 2013. This is the story of the fossil fuel zombies:

zombie comic — This picture was created by Rebecca Laura for CAAV.

CAAV chairperson Les Grady joined representatives of the New Community Project, the International Festival, Friends of Shenandoah Mountain and Occupy Harrisonburg with the delivery of this public witness statement at Court Square following the parade:

Climate scientists tell us that only a limited amount of carbon dioxide can be added to the atmosphere if we are to keep global warming within safe levels. If we continue with “business as usual” we will reach that limit in 15 years. Scientists also tell us that the more carbon dioxide we add, the warmer Earth will be. A warmer Earth will have more severe weather, with negative impacts on agriculture, ecosystems, and people. A warmer Earth will have more disease, more famines, and more conflict. A warmer Earth will have a higher sea level, with adverse effects on coastal communities and the people in them. There are no positives associated with a warmer Earth! The only way to limit the warming is to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The only way to limit emissions is to stop bringing long-dead plants and animals, fossil fuel zombies, back to life. Instead, we must leave them in the ground! We must switch to alternative energy systems. This will not be easy. This cannot be done overnight. But, it must be done. We must start now. This is the transformation we are called upon to make. Keep fossil fuel zombies in the ground!

“On the steps of the Courthouse …Les spoke of the urgent necessity to leave the fossil fuels in the ground and not allow Big Oil to reanimate them. At which point we zombies disrobed, planted an RIP tombstone on the zombie remains and left flowers.” – Joni Grady