I feel tremendous enthusiasm today, because we are taking part in the birth of a new grassroots movement, a mobilizing of people in the United States around this call for Congress to Step It Up, and to get us on the path to reducing our nation's carbon emissions 80% by 2050.

The plan for a national day of climate action was announced just three months ago. In only 14 weeks, over 1,300 events have been planned, by self-selected volunteers, because people have been eager for a chance to make this sort of statement. Hundreds of thousands of people are joining together today, because we know that the warping of Earth's climate is a catastrophe that we cannot accept.

These Step It Up rallies, in every state, are giving us the opportunity to raise our voices in a unified cry. We don't want business as usual. We don't want half-way measures. We are adamant in our call for dramatic action, for the sort of real and significant reductions that can fend off the worst of global warming. Can I hear an Amen?

In this call to the Congress, we are speaking in unison with every one of those other rallies being held today. But here, in this place, we have a distinctive message, too. Our invitations and recruiting for this Step It Up rally have gone out to people of faith -- a broad and diverse community with many faith traditions.

We come together as people of faith because we want to make a proclamation. We want it known that global heating is a moral issue. In the face of this vast, new crisis, we find ethical themes in our faith traditions that are tried and true: justice, and community and responsibility. Those firm moral principles tell us that we need dramatic action, and we need it now.

When human impacts change the climate of this entire planet, we must cry out for justice. It is unjust when the rich of the world get most of the benefits from burning gas and coal, and the poor of the world get the worst impacts. It is unjust when we claim great privilege today, and deny future generations the opportunities that they deserve.

Our faith traditions teach us about the importance of community. We live in relationship -- with God, with our neighbors, with people of all nations, and with the entire web of life. It is a moral problem when we turn away from the community, and are concerned only with our own well-being.

Many of our faith traditions call us to responsibility. We have obligations to God and to our neighbors. There are rules to be followed, and boundaries to be respected. The crisis of global warming shows us that we have forgotten our responsibilities, and that we have not reconsidered them in the face of this dramatically new situation.

The crisis of global heating is underway. We can't deny it. We can't hide from it. Choices have to be made. Our moral and spiritual perspectives inform us in making those decisions.

Doing nothing is a choice -- a deadly choice -- and unfortunately it is a choice that the US government has made through every administration since the global warming became an issue.

Doing a little bit is a choice -- but when we're on the tipping point of climate instablilty, doing a little bit is about the same as doing nothing.

Making a decisive change is a choice. Deciding that the US will reduce its carbon emissions 80% by 2050 is a choice that honors justice, that affirms global community, and that calls us to responsibility.

Cutting carbon by 80% is a faithful choice which is in keeping with the deepest teachings of many religions. Cutting carbon by 80% is an act of love and of compassion.

We're here to say, "Step It Up!" It is not accidental or contradictory that we say that as people of faith, because our faith leads us to making that choice.

As people of faith, we say "Step It Up, Congress. Cut carbon 80% by 2050." Do I hear an amen?

We've got a great morning planned.

I hope you've had a chance to browse the displays, and to sign in so that we can continue to work as a faith coalition on climate change issues.

We'll be hearing some more great music from Soul Purpose. We'll be hearing briefly -- very briefly -- from 11 people who will speak from very diverse faith traditions and experiences.

In a few minutes, we'll hear from US Representative Diana DeGette, who has been pushing those very important numbers of 80% and 2050 in the halls of Congress.

And now, I want to introduce Matt Baker, the director of Environment Colorado. Environment Colorado is one of the co-sponsors of this rally, and they one of the great leaders in this state in working for climate change legislation. A few years ago, they took the lead in Amendment 37, which established Colorado's renewable energy portfolio. Matt, thank you for your good work, and for the help your agency has given in making this rally a success.