It’s Getting Hot In Here

Georgia’s History of Denial Fuels Youth Action

Since September, the Georgia legislature has been hosting hearings on the credibility of global warming science entitled “Global Warming: Fact or Fiction”, in which the legislature continues to conclude; “There are too many opinions out there to draw any conclusion on the subject.” Students and youth are taking leadership on the issue, which is lacking in large portions of the state’s legislature and utility companies like Georgia Power and Southern Company (both of which actively lobby against the Nation Renewable Standards).

On thursday January 31st, though, Students and professors from more then 1,300 campuses across the country engaged in ‘green’ teach-ins and events to educate peers and constituents of the solutions to and importance of strong action on, global warming.

In Georgia, more then 50 students from 7 colleges and universities joined as Georgia Students for Sustainability, in order to host a youth-led global warming lobby day in Atlanta.

The Focus the Nation event began with a press conference at 10am on the capital steps where student leaders Sarah Parsons, Emory, and Mcnair Wagner, Georgia State, among others, called for legislators to listen to the youth voice on the issue of climate change and to take immediate and strong action in the state. Students then held around 20 lobby meeting with state representatives about the clear possibility of building a stronger state economy through renewable energy legislation.

The lobby-day also included a “Lunch-n-Lobby” with many state representatives where You-Tube videos, made by students from across the state, were shown to state representatives. The video’s highlighted more the need for Georgia to take a lead in creating green jobs, a state renewable energy standard, and to put an end to coal development in the state.

Currently the students in the state are fighting two proposed coal plants, one proposed by the Dynegy corporation, which has proposed coal fired power-plants in six other states, recently moved dangerously closer to starting it’s project when a state judge approved the State Environmental Protection Division’s granted Air-Quality Permit.

“As young people across the nation, it’s our imperative to take action on this moral issue, and to work with legislators and businesses to improve our futures by passing strong renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, which will make the world healthier, and create new, longer lasting jobs.” said Sara Parsons, a student at Emory University, and Focus the Nation lobby day coordinator.