This piece was cross-posted at Farmer’s Daughter.

I’m not a confrontational person.  Arguments make me really uncomfortable and I do my best to avoid them.  I don’t need to “win” and am happier to just smile and nod when I disagree with someone about something trivial.  It helps that I have a lot of patience and that I respect people’s right to their own opinion.  But when it comes to my son Joshua’s well being, that’s a different story.

I’ve actually seen mama bears defend their cubs in the wild.  Believe me, it is terrifying.  And now that I’m a mother, I understand.  I’m most likely never going to have to defend him physically, with tooth and claw, but I will stand up to the meanest, scariest, biggest grizzly bear if that’s what I have to do.

So when I think about all the great big scary polluters who threaten my son’s health and future, I have no problem standing up to them.  I’m not afraid to tell them it’s their turn to act.

It can seem overwhelming to think of my one, tiny little voice telling Great Big Companies to clean up their act.  It’s worth it for my child’s future, and I am not alone.  We are not alone.  All around the world, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers are banding together to tell polluters that we’re not letting them off the hook.  We’re contacting our representatives and the EPA, organizing public demonstrations and events, launching online events on Facebook and Twitter, and teaching our children to stand up for themselves.  Our voices are united, and I believe we will triumph.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m a Mama Bear.  Are you?