Power Shift is the newsletter for the Energy Action Coalition with updates, insights and the low down on what’s next in the fight to stop global warming. Send feedback, good or bad, to Michael at michael [at] energyaction.net.
The Contents
- Energy Action in Vanity Fair
- Take Action!
- Campus Campaign Highlights - Victories, events, actions and more.
- News and Views - Who’s doing and saying what
- Whats Next - NJ March and Step it Up
Energy Action Goes Glam in Vanity Fair
Energy Action coalition members are featured in a two page photo spread in the recently released “Green Issue” of Vanity Fair. The photo was shot in January at the Greenpeace warehouse in DC. Get yourself a copy today and ask your fav coalition member to autograph it for you!
Take Action!
EARTH DAY on the Hill 2007
EARTH DAY NETWORK’S CONGRESSIONAL EDUCATION WEEK APRIL 16-20: Rally in the halls of the U.S. Congress, Washington, DC, any day from April 16th-20th! Meet your fellow environmental champions while you exercise your right to petition Congress for that cap on national greenhouse gas emissions we’ve been clamoring for since last century. The United States MUST reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, to avert disastrous climate change. We’re asking every able and willing body to come to Washington to tell Congress to make sure that this happens. Come by bus, by train, by bike, by foot, but come! To learn more about Earth Day on the Hill and to register go to: www.earthday.net/earthdayonthehill.html Can’t make it to DC? Don’t worry you can hold your elected leaders accountable from the comfort of your home congressional district. Get more info on local action.
For more information about travel support available for Earth Day on the Hill, please contact edn-us [at] earthday.net
No More Hot Air
We know that we need more than hot air on global warming. Send a video message to the Presidential candidates on climate issues. Ask them what’s their plan to reduce American carbon emissions 80% by 2050. Get more details.
Climate Superstar, That is What You Are
Join the ranks of past Brower Youth Award winners like Billy Parish, May Boeve, Jared Duval, Shadia Wood, Elissa Smith, Nathan Wyeth (conspiracy?) and other activists: apply today at http://www.broweryouthawards.org! May 15 deadline is the deadline for the 8th annual Brower Youth Awards - an award recognizing six young people ages 13-22 for their outstanding activism and environmental achievements with a $3,000 cash prize, a trip to California for the award ceremony and wilderness camping trip, and additional resources and support for their work.
Campus Highlights
AZPIRG
ASU-Tempe
On April 2nd, Al Gore visited campus to give an in person showing of his An Inconvenient Truth slideshow presentation. Before Gore?s presentation, AZPIRG students held a ?Stop Global Warming? rally to show how important fighting global warming is to the student body. The rally featured a performance by a student band, and speeches by State Representatives Ed Albeser and Dave Shapira.
CALPIRG
University of Southern California
On March 20th, CALPIRG students at USC handed out 1,000 CFL light bulbs at their light bulb switch out on campus. On March 28th, the students played a key role in monthly campus wide town hall meeting. Each month, the students meet to discuss the most important issues on campus. The CALPIRG students influenced student government to make this month?s themed discussion based on sustainability issues. As part of the town hall discussion, the students drafted a list of suggestions for on campus sustainability measures that they will submit to the administration.
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Mary Washington University
Mary Washington University students recently announce that their university will be working with an energy service company next year. The role of the company will be to work with student affairs on energy conservation issues and educate students about how they can reduce their energy footprint. This plan will be announced on April 22nd when a NORESCO representative visits campus and talks about the plan during their Earth Day concert series. This initiative wouldn’t have been accomplished without the hard work of Ecology Club students running the Campus Climate Challenge at their school.
St. Mary’s Students Vote to Go Green
In a referendum held earlier this month, students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland voted 93% in favor of raising student fees $25 in order to create a sustainable fund for purchasing renewable energy. This will enable the College to offset 100% of its electricity use. This is only one of a number of sustainability initiatives that the school has accomplished this year. These initiatives include conducting an energy audit and installing efficiency upgrades on campus, funding a geothermal heat pump in a new building, establishing an EcoHouse, adopting a policy for purchasing only CFLs, and converting all disposable food containers used by the dining services to compostable materials. Excitement surrounding sustainability at St. Mary’s has grown immensely this year thanks largely to student work with the Campus Climate Challenge, as well as the establishment of a campus Sustainability Committee. Students have been taking a variety of actions to call attention to global warming, and to do their part in reducing energy consumption. This has ranged from taking shorter showers to writing to local legislators, and even to jumping into the 38-degree St. Mary’s River at a Polar Bear Splash event during the Week of Climate Action at the beginning of February. Unprecedented voter turnout for the referendum (over half of the student body) has been the greatest testament thus far to the college community’s commitment to a sustainable future.
INPIRG
Indiana University
INPIRG students at Indiana University hosted an Al Gore trained slideshow presenter on March 21st. Over 100 students, staff, and community members attended the presentation.
IowaPIRG
Iowa State University
On March 20th, the IowaPIRG students at ISU held a global warming solutions panel on campus. A climatologist, an environmental economist, and an environmental policy expert sat on the panel and discussed global warming solutions in front of a crowd of 70 students (click here to read a story about the event). On March 26th, the students a clean transportation show on campus, and it was a huge hit. On display they had a segway, a biodiesel car, and a couple of hybrid cars. The event garnered a mention in the Ames Tribune, and a story in the campus paper!
Sierra Student Coalition
Be a FORCE for CHANGE!
Join the Sierra Student Coalition for a week-long Student Environmental Leadership Training program. Learn the skills you need to run the Campus Climate Challenge. These programs are a great opportunity to get the skills you need to be even more effective, or to get some of the newer members and leaders of your group trained and ready to keep the campaign going strong. Check http://www.ssc.org/sprog for more information, dates, find a location near you and to apply!
Campus Consciousness Tour Kicks Off
Photos by Mark Orlowski
The Campus Consciousness Tour spearheaded by Guster and Reverb is rocking its way through the East and Midwest spreading a message of sustainability and love for Mother Earth. The tour features pop-rock band The Format as the opening act and an interactive eco-village. For more info and tour dates: http://www.guster.com/
News and Views
A New Student Generation Accepts the Global Warming Challenge
Candidates warm to climate change
Almost 4 Out of 5 Canadians Believe That Global Warming is Real
Is Pasadena City College Green Enough?
A Terrifying Message from Al Gore: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5BjrOi4vF24
Poll Finds Worldwide Agreement That Climate Change is a Threat
Seattle May Face Long-Term Water Crisis
What’s Next?
Folks in New Jersey will be marching April 13-16 to conserve the Garden State.
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I love the newsletter. It is so important we strengthen all networks of communication (beyond the blog) in order to tell the world another story - a story where power resides in the people, so that the path forward is based on the best interest for all, not the greed mongering minority. Keep up the good work.