VIDEO: Environmental groups, Native Americans join Occupy Denver

Occupy Denver not specific enough in its demands for you? How about this: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline? Or this: Stop global warming?

This Saturday, Occupy Denver’s weekly march will be joined by 350.org, a group founded by climate advocate Bill McKibben to fight against Keystone XL specifically and global warming more generally.

The number 350 refers to the parts per million of carbon that are deemed safe in the atmosphere, a number well under current measurements. The group claims about 6000 members in Colorado, says regional organizer Micah Parkin.

We endorsed the Occupy movement shortly after it started,” Parkin said. Like those in the Occupy movement who think corporations have too much power in American government, she said it is the power of the oil and gas companies that stops governments from enacting meaningful climate legislation.

“The whole issue is that these giant corporations have too much power with our elected political leaders,” Parkin said. “That is why we have not seen any laws passed to slow climate change. The one percent have too much power.”

She said members of 350.org and others concerned with climate change and the Keystone XL pipeline are encouraged to join on the march Saturday, which begins at 1020 16th Street and will end with a rally and teach-in at 1625 Broadway, which not coincidentally is the address of the World Trade Center and the Canadian Consul, which is targeted because of its support of the pipeline.

Below is video of Bill McKibben speaking at Occupy Wall Street.

Saturday’s march is also joined by the American Indian Movemenent of Colorado and Indigenous Resistance to the Tar Sands.

Scot Kersgaard has been managing editor of a political newspaper, editor and co-owner of a ski town newspaper, executive editor of eight high-tech magazines (where he worked with current Apple CEO Tim Cook), deputy press secretary to a U.S. Senator, and an outdoors columnist at the Rocky Mountain News. He has an English degree from the University of Washington. He was awarded a fellowship to study internet journalism at the University of Maryland's Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. He was student body president in college. He spends his free time hiking and skiing.

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