Thousands of protesters encircled the White House Sunday, calling on President Obama to block the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline that would run from the tar sands of Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Watch video of the protest:

More than 700 people have been arrested in front of the White House over the two weeks since protests against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline began. But Obama has largely been neither seen nor heard from. Some protesters are beginning to wonder if he’s even aware of their presence. Check out the video for a peek at what’s been going on and what the activists are feeling.

Activist and author Bill McKibben was sprung from jail on Monday, as were the dozens of others arrested on Saturday at the start of a two-week protest against the proposed Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline. Videographer/photographer Jay Mallin was on the scene outside the courthouse to record the mood. McKibben said the freed protestors may have looked a bit saggy because they’d lost their belts, but that wasn’t bringing them down: “Our pants may be low but our spirits are high, and our determination intact.” He was excited to learn that the New York Times editorial board had come out strongly against the pipeline on Sunday.

More than 160 people have been arrested so far while taking part in the protest in front of the White House, and people from around the country continue to pour in to make their voices heard. Hear some of their voices in this video. The sit-in will continue through Sept. 3. Find out more and support the cause at TarSandsAction.org.

Editor’s note: Bill McKibben serves on Grist’s board of directors.

“You’ve just got to embrace the sweat,” says one of the remarkably chipper cyclists in this short video on how to keep the heat wave from breaking your bike-commuting habit. He and the other cyclists interviewed actually look a lot happier and less sweaty than some of the people in the background. It’s enough to inspire you to trade four wheels and A.C. for two wheels and a breeze. After all, as one bike commuter who works for the Sierra Club says, “with climate change, we’re going to see a lot more Julys like this.” Maybe she and fellow cyclists are in good spirits because they know they’re not part of the problem.