Written collaboratively by Natalie Quinn, Michael Johnson, and Mandy Hancock
A group of students sang (song follows) along side the parade Saturday evening that addressed how holiday lights are powered by pollution-causing coal. During Valdosta’s annual Christmas Parade, 14 students from the VSU organization SAVE (Students Against Violating the Environment) rallied on Patterson Street in order to draw attention to new energy legislation currently being discussed on the floors of the US Senate and House of Representatives. Using banners, signs, and their voices, these students caught the attention of Representative Jack Kingston who was a participant in the parade.
As Rep. Kingston approached the group, they raised two banners asking if he was “naughty or nice.” Naughty, here, would be in support of coal and nukes, and nice would be in support of green jobs and renewable energy. Following Rep. Kingston’s participation in the parade, he met with the members of SAVE. For 40 minutes they discussed how alternative sources of energy such as solar power and wind turbines can be used to replace coal, oil, and nuclear sources of energy. The students requested that Kingston take a special look at the energy bill going through congress. He did profess to be a proponent of nuclear power, but did not indicate his stance on coal. He also expressed his interest in alternative fuels such as ethanol, but is not in favor of corn-based ethanol.
Cater, President from Unicef at VSU who also attended had this to say, “The passing of an aggressive energy bill that addresses a strong transition towards renewable energy and away from nuclear energy and coal is very important. These are the steps that need to betaken for us, as a nation, to seriously begin 
to move away from dependence on foreign fuels and rely on our own resources at home that are clean and safe. What is safer, cleaner, or more renewable than solar or wind? Not coal or nuclear.”
Another member, Mike Johnson spoke “This is just the beginning for us – we are here to stay, we are here to make a difference.”
This is the fourth time students from the SAVE organization have engaged Kingston on energy legislation. He was presented with the “Hot Seat” in July during Greenpeace’s Change It event, and again in September during the Project Hot Seat week of action. In November, the students went to Power Shift and crammed his office. However, this is the first time they have had the opportunity to speak to him in person. The face-time that was spent will help the members of his constituency that are concerned with energy issues to apply ever-increasing pressure on the representative.
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Where do you get your energy?
From mountain tops of West Virginia
Burning children’s lungs across America
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,
Where do you get your energy?
Oh, Georgia, we love you so,
But to coal your money goes.
All that smoke, it is no joke,
So we’re here to tell you folks
Dirty Energy is not joke
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Bring clean energy for you and me.”
i love you