This Friday, over 100 people from around the world will begin a global hunger strike as a moral reaction to world leaders’ lack of committed, effective action on climate change.

The movement is inspired by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King who took personal non-violent actions to address gross injustice present in their societies.

Inaction on climate change could well go down as the greatest injustice against humanity in history, allowing the world’s most vulnerable people, and our own children, to suffer at the hands of an irreversible catastrophe they played no part in causing.

In fasting, we are sending not only an alarm, but expressing hope and belief in the innate sense of right and wrong within every person. Eight fasters have committed to drink water only for the 42+ days starting Friday and going through the UN negotiations in Copenhagen negotiations this December.

Williams College is running a rolling or relay fast in which one student will undertake a day long solidarity fast for each of the 42+ days. Participating students will wear t-shirts indicating their involvement and the daily faster will have a yellow armband. Students meal points can be donated to support the long-term fasters.

So far, we have 29 students and professors signed up but we have 13 slots left to fill. Check out the international website at www.climatejusticefast.com for more information, the Williams schedule at williamsfasts.blogspot.com for available days and e-mail jmr1 to sign up.