On August 5, 2007, over a thousand miles away from each other, marchers in Iowa and New Hampshire converged on the capitols of each state calling for real global warming solutions and the creation of a clean energy economy: 80% cuts in carbon by 2050, and 2 million new clean energy jobs across the country. Click here for press coverage.

Both marches had a great turnout. But more important than the numbers was our spirit: hopeful yet determined, loud and joyful, united in our vision and our call - we are the leaders we've been waiting for to create a clean energy economy here in this country and around the world. There'll be more reflections to come, but for now, check out our photos, videos, and next steps - and thank you to all who made this journey possible!

When past generations faced immense challenges, our society found ways to pull together and rise above – the Civilian Conservation Corps and other New Deal programs pulled our country out of the Great Depression, they didn't create another one. In World War II, we defeated global fascism by reorienting our entire economy, not by continuing the economy of the past. And when the promise and ideals of our country did not extend to black Americans, a principled social movement wrote new laws for our country, sharing a dream that inspired a generation even if it has yet to be fully fulfilled today.

But for the past twenty years we have heard nothing but denial, delay, and hollow rhetoric on the issue of our time, global warming. And what more consequential issue has ever faced humanity? As our problems have become larger and more complex, our politics have become more and more trivial, more tragically beneath the tasks before us. The politics of today are not worthy of our American heritage.

So it is time to restore our American spirit of resolve and hope – yes, learning from past achievements, but also writing our own, unique generational story.

We can build our own Clean Energy Corps, providing millions of young and retired Americans with service opportunities retrofitting tens of millions of low-income homes helping those who most need to save money on their energy bills and reducing pollution.

TOMORROW is the rally to ReEnergize New Hampshire, from noon to 3:30 on the State House lawn in Concord. We hope to see you there (or at the final rally in Des Moines, Iowa, if you're in the Midwest). We've all been marching for four hot but gloriously sunny days, and we're ready to walk the final stretch down Main Street to call on our leaders to take action for a clean energy future.

Tomorrow is also the culmination of a summer's and in fact a whole year's hard work, but it's still only the beginning of a great movement. When we say we're marching for a clean energy future - for renewable power, new jobs at home, cleaner air, water, and skies, and healthier communities, all to confront the challenege of climate change - we're talking about renewing our hope for a better world.

"I would say," said Bishop Gene Robinson to a crowd of tired but hopeful walkers last night, "that you are holy... I think, what holy means is, to God - however you understand God, whatever that label means for you. But whatever it is that kinda makes sense out of what we're doing, anything that strives to be like that life force, in my book, is holy."

And as a friendly Manchester resident along our route said, "we're so pleased, we think it's wonderful - just to see them walk by our house is so exciting!"

We're excited, too - excited and inspired by the people who have joined this movement, the encouragement and support we've received from the towns that have so graciously hosted us and our tired feet, and we're inspired by all of you out there looking to make a difference. We'll see you tomorrow, and we'll hope to see you again soon as we work for the future.

The March to ReEnergize Iowa is under way and making quite a splash. Yesterday we had 50 people in Ames for our event kickoff to start the March. You may have seen us yesterday in the Des Moines Register, on the front pages of the Ames Tribune and Cityview or as the lead feature on Fox news at 9 PM.

The people marching with us are truly amazing. Yesterday we walked with Ben, an exchange student from China who marched all day yesterday despite the final exam he has today and will be back out tomorrow, with Randy, who runs a campus minstry at ISU that has been working to promote sustainability, and with scores of others. From pre-school through retirement our marchers come from a diverse background and the more the merrier!

Our lunch stop yesterday was touching. Black's Heritage Farm is several generations deep in family agriculture. Along with the best sweet corn I have ever had, the Blacks grow ahost of unconventional crops and are dedicated to sustainable farming and to stoping global warming. Over our meal, their pastor lead us in thoughts about how we can steward the earth.

With today's energy efficiency project in Alleman, coverage is expected to stay steady through the final Rally on Sunday. And this is all happening on weekdays. We expect tomorrow to be our biggest day yet.

When we kick-off the March to ReEnergize Iowa tomorrow, we’ll be bringing citizens together to collectively call on our leaders to take bold action to address our dwindling manufacturing sector and global warming. We’ll be taking to the streets to say enough is enough - it’s time to get moving.

And on Friday, when we arrive in the small town of Alleman, population 439, we’ll be demonstrating the benefits of smart energy decisions. Each of the 150 homes in Alleman will receive one compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb in exchange for an energy inefficient incandescent light bulb. If every American home follows in the footsteps of Alleman and replaces one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

When we come together and take action we can clearly make a big difference. That’s why we are excited for the light bulb exchange and our final rally in Des Moines:

Please join us at Nollen Plaza at 3 pm on Sunday, August 5th: http://www.climatesummer.org/iaschedule

The light bulb exchange will begin at 4 pm on Friday afternoon at North Polk High School in Alleman. Mayor Bill Bodensteiner will deliver a few inspirational remarks before the exchange begins. And be sure to read about us in the press! We're in the  Ames Tribune and the Des Moines Cityview.

Out here in Iowa, as soon as you leave the city you are surrounded by farms primarily growing corn and soybeans. A farmer told me a couple of days ago that Iowans only eat 3% of the soybeans produced in Iowa, and that the rest is used for biodiesel production. All of the gasoline in Iowa has at least 10% ethanol, and biofuels are strongly supported by the state and national governments. However, there is concern over the environmental impacts biodiesel production causes, the amount of energy consumed during production, and the efficiency of ethanol production from various biofuel soruces.

I am not an expert on biofuels, but I am excited that in a couple of days at the March to ReEnergize Iowa we will have the opportunity to explore some of the details of biofuel production. On Thursday, our kickoff begins with a biofuels walking tour at Reiman Gardens at 9:30 am. The walking tour allows you to see what biorenewable plants look like, learn about their cultivation requirements, and learn more about the issues concerning biofuels. During the walking tour, you can see 15 different plants that are used to make ethanol. All you need for the tour is a cell phone.

Not only will we get a chance to learn about the ecological aspects of biofuels, but on Saturday night we will have the opportunity to discuss some of the current policies surrounding biofuels. During our evening program at Saydel High School, Saylorville at 5:00 pm, Ed Woolsey of the Iowa Renewable Energy Association will lead a session on biofuel policies and how individuals can get involved with biofuel issues. Also, that evening we will have sessions on coal and industry and their relationship to global warming.

These are both incredible opportunities to learn about an issue that is so dominant in Iowa, and I can't wait to be a part of it. Even if you can't make it to the march itself, I highly recommend that people check out our evening programs and the Reiman Gardens biofuels walking tour.

With less than 24 hours until our kick-off event in Nashua, the March to ReEnergize New Hampshire team is in high gear. Final materials are being thrown together, emails blasted out, and hundreds and hundreds of names called. If you’re in the Northeast and aren’t attending the five-day march for real climate solutions, well, you’re missing out... big. Along with our sister march in Iowa (for you mid-westerners, get over there) we’ll be walking the talk for fifty miles, August 1-5.

Check out the video below of our rollicking final phone-bank before the march here in New Hampshire and then sign up for a march, get more info, and stay updated about the effort to ReEnergizeUS!