Alaska Wilderness League Events in the Field
August 2008: Furry Friends Make a Visit to Rep. Bachmann
On August 20, 2008, Alaska Wilderness League sent a life-sized polar bear and caribou from Alaska to make a special visit to Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN) since she was unable to make it to their home, the Coastal Plain, on her “fact finding” fly-over of the Arctic Refuge. Joining furry friends were 6th District residents and others, all urging Congresswoman Bachmann to start the good work of finding real solutions to climate change and our country’s energy crisis.
In light of Rep. Bachmann’s failed attempt to visit the Refuge this summer (she was only able to fly over rather than land), the “furry friends” and other citizens dropped by to visit Rep. Bachmann in her district to remind the Congresswoman that “Drilling Won’t Mean a Drop at the Pump” for 6th District residents or any other American driver.
August - September, 2007: Tree Planting Events for the Tongass
The 100! for 100! Trees for the Tongass is a nationwide campaign to commemorate the 100th birthday of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska – America’s Rainforest (read more about the Tongass here). Alaska Wilderness League organizers and volunteers around the country amied to plant 100 seedlings across the nation in celebration of this centennial event. Thanks to an nationwide interest, we easily eclipsed that number!
Go to our Trees for the Tongass page and read about some of the successful Tongass tree planting events.
July, 14, 2007 - Mascot Madness in Pennsylvania
This past weekend Alaska Wilderness League and the newly named polar bear mascot, Ice-P, attended the Great Green America Fest in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The two-day festival was designed to inform attendants on a variety of environmental issues, display the uses of renewable energy (including a solar oven that made great pizza), and of course provide plenty of fun!
Ice-P had a jam-packed schedule of events and appearances during the two-day festival, which began with a mascot meet-and-greet where the kids couldn’t get enough of Ice-P. The meet-and-greet was followed by Ice-P leading a polka lesson with a festival participant wearing a Climate Crisis Action Day T-shirt!
Ice-P was also able to spend some time at the Alaska Wilderness League booth helping field organizers Julia Shaw (NJ) and Monica Scherer (PA) collect signatures for the League’s summer petition drive and listen to people share stories of their own trips to Alaska. The League’s “Alaska Wilderness, NOT Alaska Warming” petition, urges the 2008 presidential candidates to protect wild Alaska and make global warming a priority in their presidential campaigns. By the fall primary season, the League expects to have thousands of signatures to present to the candidates.
The highlight of the weekend by far was the mascot tug-of-war (click here to see the competition on YouTube). Small in stature but big in heart, Ice-P was integral in the mammals prevailing over the non-mammals in the best-out-of-three series. As a crowd favorite, Ice-P drew many cheers of support for her team.
