In what has become a familiar scene in the nation's capital, tens of thousands of activists gathered in Washington by the Capitol Building this morning for the Peoples Climate March. It was one of over 300 such marches across the country and the world, and prior to marching en masse to the White House, the crowds braved sweltering heat and humidity on the National Mall. (Perhaps befittingly, the temperature of 91 degrees tied a 1974 heat record.)

In our case, 600 marchers came from Massachusetts on 11 buses arranged by 350 Massachusetts ; state organizations and colleges sent buses as well. Myriad environmental organizations hailing from other states as far away as Hawaii were represented, joined in protest against the climate-destroying measures instituted last month by President Donald Trump and his administration. Age ranges and nationalities (that also included many Native Americans in full traditional dress) made it a convergence that swelled to over 200,000 Vietnam-era to next-generation environmental advocates.

On Thursday, in advance of Saturday's 100th day of the Trump administration, Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey unveiled the "100 by '50 Act," legislation that would move the country off fossil fuels and toward a 100 percent renewable energy economy.