It’s Getting Hot In Here

Student organizers working with Cascade Climate Network (CCN), Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG), Sierra Student Coalition (SSC), and student groups at the University of Oregon hosted Power Shift West ’09, which began Friday, November 6 and went through Sunday, November 8. The three-day event featured educational workshops; special guests including Rep. Jefferson Smith, Rikki Ott, and Pete Sorenson; opportunities for participants to learn more about organizing local groups to advocate sustainable living practices; and a capstone march through the streets of Eugene.

Backbone Campaign brought props from “Procession for the Future” and built model wind turbines with participants at the conference. Participants raised a banner measuring 15′ x 30′ foot giant banner with helium powered weather balloons as the grand finale.

Over 500 students and youth from Oregon and 13 western states attended to promote four primary goals:

• Pass a strong climate bill and negotiate a strong International Climate Treaty in Copenhagen
• Generate support for a high-speed rail corridor from Eugene to Vancouver, B.C.
• Mobilize local community groups to address sustainable living practices
• Unite regional campuses to advocate plans to move beyond coal usage

“There’s never been a better time to become more educated and involved in promoting clean, renewable energy in our communities,” said Jeremy Blanchard, a core organizer and a UO student Senator. “The national success of Power Shift depends on the action we take locally, and we’re encouraging students and young peole to actively communicate with their local and state representatives so that our generation’s voices are heard in the halls of Congress.”

Student activists from thirteen states across the West coast converged to learn skills and netowrk with peers around clean energy solutions and climate change. Some traveled from as far away as Alaska to build a grassroots movement for sustainability and global warming solutions.

“Young people recognize that the current debate on climate change is critical for the future of a clean energy economy in the United States.” said Charles Denson, OSPIRG State Board Chair. “Now is the time to invest in clean energy technologies that will rebuild the American economy and create millions of new jobs.”

One example of actions coming out of Power Shift West is the work being done by the Oregon Climate Policy group. Moey Newbold, a junior at University of Oregon, moderated the Oregon State breakout in which students broke into four issue areas to plan for the next few critical weeks. The group plans to implement a grassroots campaign on their campuses to target Senators around specific strengthening provisions of the Senate climate bill. The campaign will culminate with a simultaneous lobby day at five Senate offices across the state. The Oregon Climate Policy campaign is just one of dozens of initiatives coming out of Power Shift West.

Today, students left Eugene inspired and ready for action – they held workshops and trainings with their peers, networked, and shared ideas to move the shift to a clean, just and sustainable future forward. Our movement is growing, and Power Shift West was a weekend that many will never forget – a weekend that changed lives, united a small part of our generation, and continued the movement towards a safe future for all people.