Greenpeace Hijinks

Never known for their subtle tactics, Greenpeace delivered again with the unfurling of a massive protest banner across the façade of Mt. Rushmore. The message, "America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming", urged President Obama to do more for the issue as he and other world leaders descend upon L'Aquila, Italy for the G-8 Summit.

Despite a minor disregard for safety and, um, the law, Greenpeace knows how to get attention. And attention they need: “We are at a key moment in history when we must challenge our president to take real leadership. The steps taken so far have been frankly inadequate. If President Obama wants to take his place among the great leaders of history, he must take aggressive measures to combat climate change and prioritize a strong deal in Copenhagen,” said Carroll Muffet, Deputy Campaign Director for Greenpeace.

Maybe the bold move worked. According to ABC News, earlier today President Obama spoke to 16 of his fellow leaders and said, "In the past, the United States has sometimes fallen short of meeting our responsibilities," regarding climate change, Obama said, but he added, "those days are over." Unfortunately, we'll likely never know if the grassroots antics propelled Obama to step up. What we do know, however, is that it got people talking.

"We're here at Mount Rushmore to inspire Americans to take action, and remind the world that heroism and leadership are part of our nation’s history -- and must be a part of our future,” said Muffet. So while we're not suggesting you stealthily make your way up any national monuments, shake things up and inspire people to take action in your own circle.

(Photo courtesy Jessestay via Flickr)