Thursday morning, I went to a press conference hosted by Clean Energy Works. I knew there would a variety of speakers but I didn’t expect was to be blown away by the words of two young women, both in high school at the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School. I should have expected it.
As Callie Guy, a senior, pointed out to the crowd, “For my generation, the controversy over global climate change simply doesn’t exist. We know what the price of inaction is, and it will fall on me and my friends unless we act now. It is time for my generation to declare their independence from the fossil fuels of the past and lead our country on a clean energy revolution. “
Callie’s right. My generation has moved past deciding if global warming exists to deciding how to solve it. We refuse to listen to false solutions such as clean coal and nuclear. My generation will Define Our Decade with 100% truly clean, safe, green energy.
Maggie Chambers, a junior, closed the press conference with these words which I want to share with all of you.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that not all energy sources are created equal, that all people are endowed with the undeniable rights to clean air, liberation from foreign oil, and the pursuit of permanent clean energy jobs- That to secure these rights, Government should follow the path of pursuing strong clean energy and climate legislation…
We must jump start the economy and create a plethora of permanent clean energy jobs, so by the time I’m graduating from college and looking for a career of my own, I can come back to my home state of Virginia and take a reliable, safe clean energy job.
We must end dependence on foreign oil, so by the time I’m buying my first home, I can heat it with clean, homegrown energy sources, not with dirty sources from overseas.
We must help solve the climate crisis, so by the time I’m raising kids of my own, no one will have to wonder if there’ll be an Earth for them to live on in 30 years.
We need more Clean Energy Patriots this year. We need an Earth Day Revolution, not just another celebration. I’m counting on my fellow classmates, my community and you, Senator Warner & Senator Webb, to be a clean energy patriot this Earth Day. Lets pass clean energy and climate legislation this year.”
A similar event also happened last Thursday on Capitol Hill.
I love the reference to the constitution. Great post.
Morgan, the reference is to the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.