Climate-themed art is all the rage these days here at 1Sky HQ, and we’re making sure our elected officials in Washington, DC recognize that as well. Yesterday members of the 1Sky team took to Capitol Hill to deliver dozens of climate-themed banners created by local activists across the country to key Senate offices. This delivery came just a few days after a successful rally outside the White House where we displayed the same banners, generating striking visuals and media coverage in over 50 outlets.

Given Congress’s focus on health care reform, climate legislation has been stalled in the Senate in recent months. Yet in our impromptu meetings with Senate offices yesterday, we found that legislative staffers were excited to receive our banners and more than willing to engage us on the issues. The start of the international climate talks in Copenhagen this week has put climate in the center of the media cycle, and senators are following these discussions closely. In fact, we discovered that several Senate offices are actually sending staff to Copenhagen, or are considering doing so!

While the U.S. has recently made some progress in international climate negotiations, the fact remains that the Senate’s failure to pass a strong climate bill in 2009 has greatly diminished our ability to lead. As a result our visit to the Hill yesterday, banners in tow, couldn’t have been more timely. The banners reflect the heart and soul behind the climate movement – the stories and voices of diverse communities across our country, all coming together to express their aspirations for solving the climate crisis and creating a sustainable future. They create a powerful visual reminder of the need for bold solutions, and they call upon our elected officials to take strong and decisive action at this critical moment.

Next week President Obama will head to Copenhagen, joining 110 other heads of state in an attempt to secure a global deal. This is a great step in the right direction. We will need our President’s continued leadership to ensure that we get a strong international climate treaty. We also now need the U.S. Senate to step up to the plate and do its part by passing bold climate and clean energy legislation as soon as possible. The world, and the American people, can’t wait any longer.