It’s Getting Hot In Here

The primaries may be over, but thousands of students have just hit ground running their campaigns! Wielding clipboards overflowing with petitions, students across the US and Canada are spreading the to every classroom, every newspaper, and every innocent passer-byer that may walk past their table. But don’t be deceived, these students aren’t campaigning for a politician. They are campaigning for the future.

Since the re-launch of the Campus Climate Challenge just weeks ago, students at 300 schools (and growing) are working to spread the message to their entire campus: “Global warming is the challenge of our generation, and we are up to it!”

They are setting goals, planning campaigns, and devising strategy. However, weather you are aiming for 100% clean energy on campus or a green building policy, we all have on thing in common – we need people. … lots of them. Let me break it down. We’re up against some tough competition and a deeply entrenched energy system. They have money, but we’ve got something better – people power. It is as powerful on campus fighting global warming as it was marching for civil rights in streets of Alabama.

To the right, Joanna Ramos from Virginia Commonwealth University took a break from recruiting new members for her challenge group to talk to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine as he passed through campus. That’s what I call outreach.

Now we’re not campaigning against each other, but I believe in some healthy competition. So I offer all of you a challenge. Beat American University. Know how many people they got at their kickoff meeting?

ONE HUNDRED STUDENTS – can you beat that?

This wasn’t dumb luck. It was the product of hours of good old fashion recruitment. And not just the activities fair. Students spent weeks collecting names all around campus, speaking to classes, reaching out to freshman, putting up signs, chalking, and more. And it pays off.

Some schools are hot in AU’s trail. Tonight students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond are holding their kickoff meeting. They have been recruiting for a month straight leading up their kickoff meeting. They’ve already collected 700 petitions, and guess what they are doing tonight? Phonebanking!

Students at St. Johns college in Annapolis, Maryland had 25 people to their first meeting. Not impressed? Their school only has 450 students.

This is a campaign, a race against time. And we need to pull out all the stops. Hit the ground, put on your campaign hat, wear a fancy button, and bust out those sign-up sheets. Leave no rock unturned, no frat-boy un-approached. In every class, at every table at the dining hall, in every single dorm room, there is a young Al Gore, waiting to be asked “do you want to join the Campus Climate Challenge”. And as soon as you rock out, let us know.