County Treasurer Fred Keeley guided the tour of Santa Cruz, circa 2112.
It was a curious scene as the sun set over Santa Cruz City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 24. A team of wetsuit-clad activists, snorkelers and people in jellyfish costumes gathered for a downtown parade to show Santa Cruz how it all could look if people don’t take global warming seriously.
Activists like People Power’s Micah Posner were trying to make a point: someday much of the city could be underwater. After one participant rang a time-traveling bell, County Treasurer Fred Keeley served as the evening’s tour guide through Santa Cruz in the year 2112. He rode in metal boat pulled by a bicycle that, at times, blocked traffic.
The activists hoped to raise awareness once again about the city’s Climate Action Plan. That plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, as compared to levels measured in 1990. The city council is expected to approve the plan sometime in the next two months.
Both Micah Posner and Transition Santa Cruz’s Michael Levy like the Climate Action Plan, which is more ambitious than what most local governments have accomplished. It’s also more ambitious than what's outlined in an emission-cutting law signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Claiming Santa Cruz exceptionalism, the paraders say we should set the bar for this town a little bit higher.
“Many of us think what they’re doing is good,” Keeley said, standing on a two-foot wall near city hall’s front lawn. “The problem is: it needs to be the best plan. Good isn’t good enough. It needs to be the best!”
Activists have two main concerns. First, they say the city isn’t serious about reducing car traffic. The Climate Actions Plan calls for 10 percent decrease in within-town car trips and last week, Director of Public works Mark Dettle told the Santa Cruz Sentinel he expects car trips to increase 7 percent.
Activists also want more community involvement on the plan, perhaps with an oversight board. Mayor Don Lane and other city councilmembers are hesitant to create such a board. They fear the provision would stop economic development from happening if activists could stonewall virtually all projects while squabbling about whether or not it would increase greenhouse gas emissions.
Here is a list of the top 10 things you missed if you skipped yesterday’s underwater tour:
10. Three walking mesh sea anemones, two jellyfish costumes, one over-sized fish, a giant turtle and cardboard shark.
9. Fred Keeley rowing his boat (by dragging his oar the through air alongside his boat) and waving at baffled passersby like he was grand marshal of the Rose Parade.
8. Hoards of baffled passersby including one uninformed (and apparently disappointed) teen, who screamed to her friends, “I want to dress up and be part of this shit!”
7. Micah Posner as an ironic realtor trying to sell second story office space after the flood.
6. Several song re-writes, including “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” as “Sitting on the Dock of the Highway.” At the parking lot on Cedar and Cathcart, activists sang a version of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” with the lyrics “Don’t it always seem to go that you can’t buy veggies no more? They paved the farmer’s market and put in a parking garage.” Fred Keeley kept rhythm banging on his boat with two oars.
5. A wetsuit-wearing tombone-player named Gordon Black playing “Yellow Submarine” and other classics.
4. Bizarre speeches by local actors, including a farmer, who yelled “Here’s a seed, plant it in a city councilmember’s ear!”
3. A special appearance by Santa Claus and a trusty elf. Santa had some words for polluters, “I want to put coal in their stockings, but I know that’ll only fuel ‘em! Ho! Ho! Ho!” he screamed over the trombone-player blasting. “Santa Claus coming to Town.”
2. An interesting exchange between a Metro security guard and a middle-aged protester as the parade waltzed through the bus station. “Take your crew and get out because these people want to take the bus!” the security guard yelled from his upstairs balcony.“We’re swimming!” the woman responded.
1. The joy of traveling 100 years into the future with the simple ring of an activist's bell.
