Guest post from Mark Kimbrell
Tonight the citizens of New Orleans, Focus the Nation, The Gulf Restoration Network, the Louisiana Sierra Club, The Alliance for Affordable Energy and the students of Loyola University teamed up for an empowering town hall on clean energy with their elected officials and most importantly Congressman Joseph Cao. It was an incredibly well executed event and has helped set the tone for the 2009 Focus the Nation campaign.
Congressman Cao and a panel consisting of New Orleans City Council Member Shelley Midura, Louisiana Senator JP Morrell, Monique Harden of Advocates for Environmental Human Rights, John Barry of Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East and best selling author of The Rising Tide, and Dr. Sarah Mack, an environmental and public health specialist, fielded questions from facilitators and the Loyola audience. The event was viewed and commented on by a national audience as Focus the Nation live streamed it on our website.
The highlight of the event came when Congressman Cao was asked if he would support critical climate legislation that is sure to pass through congress soon. He spoke of the “balancing act” he would have to walk when deciding to support or oppose legislation. The panel and the audience moved quickly to emphasise the economic, social, and environmental importance of strong federal climate legislation. The panel also tackled such topics as: environmental justice in the gulf coast, internationally, and throughout communities located near carbon producers. The sea level rise being created by global climate change along America’s precious coasts. And the importance of civic engagement, and community action to enact clean energy solutions.
Jonathan Henderson, Louisiana Global Warming Organizer for the Gulf Restoration Network and 1Sky, closed the event by reminding the audience that this is just the beginning: “This Focus the Nation town hall is just the beginning. Through April 18th young people around the country will be engaging their elected representatives on clean energy and climate change.”
