This past weekend youth from across the Pacific Northwest united in Seattle to continue planning, learning and networking to bring about a clean and just future. More than 20 colleges and high schools and over 100 students represented. The summit, called Re-Energize the Northwest, was sponsored by the Sierra Club and the Sierra Student Coalition and organized by the Cascade Climate Network, the regional youth climate network that has been growing steadily since its inception just over a year ago. This was the second large youth climate summit the CCN has organized this year, following Cascade Powershift in Eugene, OR last February. This is Power Vote follow up in action!
The summit was held in the Lutheran Center, the same building that the first ever NW youth climate summit took place in two years ago and where the first seeds for the CCN were first planted. It is a tetament to the growth of this movement to see how far we have come in our organizational efforts in only two years. Not only are we all talking to each other more often and more effectively, we are essential players in the growth of green jobs, clean energy, sustainable foods and transportation solutions.
Participants took part in discussions on green jobs, revolving loan funds, bike co-ops, corporate accountability, foods issues, and environmental justice in the Amazon. Trainings took place on issues ranging from working with the media to framing and fundraising. And it was all seamlessly meshed with student and community organizers, with 1Sky Washington, Oregon River Keeper, Global Exchange and the Sierra Club among others offering up presentations alongside student activsts.
The CCN is hard at work on a host of projects including kicking coal and Liquefied Natural Gas out of the Pacific Northwest to set a precedent for the rest of the country. We finished the summit with twenty huge letters adorned with our signatures and addressed to our newly elected officials and a long list of people wanting to go to Powershift 2009. We’ll see you all there.
I was so glad to be able to join all you wonderful people this weekend. Keep rocking and re-energizing the PNW!
I wish I could have seen the Lutheran center full of NW activists again! You all are doing fantastic work out there! Much love,
Juliana
Good times for sure!!! Thank you JP =)
HUGE thanks to all of you who give us reason to believe that “Yes, we can” rescue this amazing planet and help heal it. Good luck and “good energy” to JP as he continues his good work on the “no coal/no LNG” campaign for our region. He will need the support of thousands — a “tipping point” to make the kind of change that needs to happen. I am proud of all who accept this great challenge/opportunity!
Re-Energize the Northwest was an awesome conference! Had a great time networking with others, sharing and receiving ideas and everything! Hope to do it again in the future.
I love it.. I was so good to get to met cool people