On February 22, twenty students from UW, Evergreen, Green River Community College, and PLU joined together on the Capitol steps in Olympia to publicly thank the legislators for supporting climate bills. A long scroll of over 1,000 signatures rolled down the steps and ending at a plaster polar bear, also covered in signatures from supportive students.
Washington State is breaking new ground in having the first legislation using the language of “green jobs” .
The Climate Action and Green Jobs bill would make the Washington State Department of Ecology responsible for implementing greenhouse gas reduction goals and funding a grant-based green job-training program.
Four Washington State Senators, Chris Marr, Craig Pridemore, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and Rosa Franklin spoke to the students about these bills. They all expressed, what sounded like, their real concerns and knowledge about climate change. They thought the Bills this session were a great start but we needed a lot more work and to push, push, push for bold language. It was encouraging to hear that legislators know this isn’t enough and speak to our level of concern and urgency. They were excited to see young people serious about climate change.
Tamara Mitchel from the University of Washington WashPIRG chapter spoke to the perspective of the students and the need for fundamental change.
Several newspapers from Washington Picked up the story and a couple radio stations played coverage.
This was part of Washington students first step in kicking off the Green Jobs campaign that is spreading across the country under the Energy Action Coalition.
After the press conference, students filled the seats a Senate hearing on the Climate Action and Green Jobs Bill. Elisa Otter and JP Kemmick testified their concerns about climate change and the bold legislation that need to pass into policy.
It was an inspiring day of coalition building among students in Washington and students and their legislators. They saw youth are passionate about climate issues and are not going away.
You rock, friends! Nice work organizing this. Send me newspaper links when you get the chance for our media hits page at http://www.CascadeClimate.org.