Posted on 11/06/2007 3:42:39 AM PST by Libloather
Global warning
GreenToppers rally on Capitol Hill about energy, economic issues
Michelle Day
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: News
Bowling Green senior Seth Cude yells yesterday in front of the Capitol building during a protest against global warming. The protest was part of Power Shift 2007, a youth summit dealing with global warming. Cude was one of two students who organized the GreenToppers' trip to Washington. Media Credit: Armando Sanchez
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Students marched to the Citibank on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 18th Street here yesterday.
They chanted "Remember, remember the fifth of November" and "Stop funding dirty energy. Start funding the future."
They held signs that said "coal kills," "no more coal," and "coal is over."
Some students dressed in face masks and white painters' outfits that said Citibank on the back.
They had shovels and wheelbarrows full of coal, which they dumped on the ground in front of the door. They put caution tape on the door and faced the bank.
Simultaneously, all the students started coughing and lay down on the ground, symbolizing the people who die from coal emissions each year. There were enough students to cover the entire sidewalk in front of the bank.
The GreenToppers went to Washington, for Power Shift 07, a three-day event that included a conference about global warming and the American economy and a rally on Capitol Hill.
Some students, including a handful of GreenToppers, participated in a protest of Citibank on Monday that wasn't planned by Power Shift staff members.
GreenToppers vice president Sara Ferguson said she decided the conference would be good for GreenToppers because the speakers have authority on environmental issues and students could speak to legislators.
About 30 students boarded the bus for the 13-hour drive to College Park, Md. at about 7:30 a.m. Friday.
Students expressed a general excitement about the conference, the biggest of its kind.
Emily Gillespie, a junior from Roanoke, Va., said she wants to be an activist and work for a nonprofit organization, possibly teaching kids about environmental issues.
She said she's in college because an education opens up workplace opportunities.
Gillespie said the trip will help unify the environmental protection movement. Unity empowers people and allows them to share and spread ideas, she said.
"It shouldn't be radical," she said. "It should be natural."
The idea for the conference came out of the Campus Climate Challenge, a national campaign on more than 500 campuses that calls on leaders to reduce global warming and carbon dioxide emissions, said Maura Cowley, northeast regional organizer for Campus Climate Challenge.
Campaign officials realized that students across the country wanted solutions for global warming, and they thought it was time for students to go to Washington, D.C., and make their demands heard.
Students listened to speakers talk about topics ranging from coal power plants to the connection between faith and environmentalism Saturday.
Louisville sophomore Kristen Houser said she went to the session about the science of global warming.
Houser said she got to see the numbers that are the fundamentals behind global warming and that conference leaders want to decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
Houser said she'll use the information to raise consciousness among students.
"If people understand more what's going on, there will be a cohesive attitude and more can be done," she said.
Activist and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader spoke to students about global warming and progressive politics Saturday.
College students have unique resources, he said. They can gather and communicate quickly, and they have use of labs and the press.
Lexington freshman Lorna Grajek said her perspective was changed. She said she realized that youth have power in government.
Grajek said she'll tell everybody about what Nader said when she gets back to campus to get them motivated and interested in environmental issues.
Students broke into chants several times Saturday evening during the keynote speakers' addresses.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., encouraged students to relentlessly advocate reaching the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
A popular workshop among the GreenToppers Sunday was a prop-making session. Students held the signs they made in the rally Monday.
One group of Western students made a sign with a windmill on it that said, "We can use and not abuse," referring to wind as an alternative energy source.
Another group made a banner with the Earth on fire that said, "We're gonna stop the fire."
They said they got the idea because they'd been singing "We Didn't Start the Fire," by Billy Joel for days and decided to incorporate that into a poster.
Brandenburg junior Jenni Haley said they want to hang the poster in Downing University Center to bring the message about global warming home.
"It's pretty bold," she said. "It will open up people's minds and eyes. It's not just a political thing or a hippie problem. It's their problem too."
Students rallied on Capitol Hill yesterday, chanting, listening to speakers and brandishing their signs.
Kentucky students met with members of the staffs of Sen. Jim Bunning, Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. Ed Whitfield, Rep. Ron Lewis, Rep. John Yarmuth, Rep. Geoff Davis and Rep. Ben Chandler to ask them to support laws that would meet their goals.
The students asked them to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, create green jobs and not allow coal production without keeping carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere.
Several GreenToppers went to the protest of Citibank after the rally.
Citibank posted a sign on the door that said it was closed because of an emergency.
Citibank called the police, who took down the caution tape and asked students to clear a path to the door and allow the people inside to get out.
Brandenburg junior Natalie Wilson said the protest was the most amazing thing she's ever done.
"It was awesome to have all the people of the same generation coming together and fighting and having small sucess," she said. "It could all come together for one big success. Maybe Citibank will completely change what they invest in."
The demonstration was meant to stop the expansion of coal and coal fired powerplants, said Levana Saxon, an Oakland, Calif., resident who works for Rainforest Action Network as youth organizer and education coordinator.
Saxon said coal kills communities, and it has destroyed 450 mountains and pollutes stream water.
Coal is the number one cause of the current carbon dioxide emissions that are causing global warming, she said.
She said Citibank is the biggest contributer to coal companies.
A press release from the company states that Citibank takes a responsible and strong leadership position on climate change and is on record as supporting efforts to stop climate change.
Citibank has committed $50 billion over the next 10 years for climate-friendly efforts, according to the press release.
Ferguson tried to boost Power Shift attendance by promising potential participants that if they paid for registration, she'd raise the rest of the money.
She brought up the conference in a meeting with Provost Barbara Burch, and Burch said she'd cover half of the expenses.
Ferguson got the other half of the money from college deans.
Burch said she wanted to support the GreenToppers because the conference gave them a learning opportunity and a chance to get involved in activism.
"They certainly are a dedicated group, and I'm hugely impressed that this has grown from a student initiative," she said.
GreenToppers members have met with administrators several times to discuss green campus initiatives, such as expanding the recycling program, Burch said.
She said administrators will support GreenToppers' efforts as much as they can.
These young pups should get rid of all of their cell phones, computers, ipods, washers & dryers, ovens, microwaves, radios, televisions, light bulbs, alarm clocks, playstations and automobiles.
How did the brats get there? By bus. And how many of them used their parent's plastic Citibank credit card?
What did they actually do to combat global warming?
I love this movement. You dont have to do anything at all
to be part of it. Just be aware and make the govmnt solve
global warming. Then go back to your cars and drive home.
Marching in recognition of the failures of 35 years of “environmentalism”? We keep following these people’s solutions, and they keep telling us the World is getting worse.
The angle of the photograph suggests a very small gathering. -lol
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