Going to Washington to Protest Tar Sands and Keystone? Here's some things you should know.

So it is one week until the 350.org Keystone XL protests in Washington D.C. In case you are still planning your trip, here is some information. I hope it is useful.

Transportation

By Bus:

350MA has at least five buses going, from Alewife, Harvard Square and JP. The first set leaves at 6AM, and another at 10 PM. All return 10 PM Sunday night. As of the weekend of February 9^th, new riders are waitlisted. Click here to sign up for that list. If it is convenient for you, the Rhode Island Sierra Club has buses for $20 round trip. Check here to sign up. Peter Pan and Greyhound have service through to Washington, but you will have to make a transfer in NYC.

By Train:

AMTRAK has trains from South Station, (through Providence), Springfield and Worcester (through Springfield). As of this weekend, a round trip will cost you $290. It seems that the overnight trains are not showing up on the schedule, but they are often cheaper, ~$70 one way.

Car-pooling:

The 350MA site has a link to find a car share to DC.

Lodging:

Check the 350MA site for links to find housing options.

There are many hotels across the Potomac in Crystal City near Reagan National Airport. Personally, I will be staying at the Hampton Inn there. (I got in for ~$100. ) It is on the Crystal City Metro stop, which is on both the yellow and blue lines. Both lines are accessible from the National Mall.

Getting around DC:

The Washington METRO is a very nice subway system, with many stops near the National Mall. A one-way ride from Crystal City is just three ($3) dollars. An all day unlimited pass is $14.

Food

In my experience, the National Mall has very few spots to grab something to eat, except perhaps from a truck. You can wander up and down K Street, and there is nothing but a great lobbying canyon. Remember, the event lasts from before noon to mid-afternoon, so fortify yourself !

The Amtrak  Union Station seems to have a pretty good food court, which will be open on both Saturday and Sunday. Union Station is ‘behind’ the Capitol Building.  It is a little bit of a walk from the Washington Monument, but at least you will have a clear destination. You may see me at the food court Sunday morning.

Rest Facilities:

The Mall has pretty good rest room availability, certainly in most of the museums if not at more convenient locations.

What to wear:

Track the weather, and expect February conditions. You will be standing around, outside, for several hours. As of today (Feb 9) the ten day forecast calls for rain/snow on Saturday and partly sunny on Sunday. Keep track here. Wear warm shoes and carry a hat. On the other hand, travel light. Use a backpack if you can. It is unlikely that you will find a locker to stow your luggage, so you will likely have to carry it throughout the march. Keep that in mind as you pack.

The Protest Itself:

Here is some text from a 350 email:

First, meeting place: On Sunday, we’ll be meeting at 12:00 Noon (Editor’s Note: try to get there by 11:30) just north of the Washington Monument, in the area in between the monument and Constitution Avenue. We’ll join together to hear the powerful words from our speakers, then assemble on Constitution Avenue, march up 17th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, then over to 15th Street, which is where things will get interesting.  Once we’re on 15th street together, we’re going to form a giant human pipeline representing Keystone XL and the dirty energy system of the past. We’ll then transform the giant dirty pipeline into a symbol of the renewable energy economy of the future. Tens of thousands strong, we’ll form the largest symbol of hope for a safe climate future that this country has ever seen.  After that we’ll return to the monument to get fired up for how we keep moving the President forward towards action on climate change with some music (with artists being confirmed as you read this). 

 

How to meet with others in the Massachusetts Contingent:

This one is hard. Look for banners and signs of 350MA or MCAN. MCAN will have a presence, but it will probably be part of the 350MA group. Look for our banner somewhere ‘north of the Washington Monument.’

Congratulations on being part of this historic event! See you there!

..Ted McIntyre

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