Students to lobby for action on climate change

By JOE VELARDE
Scripps Howard News Service
Friday, October 26, 2007

Environmental activists fed up by inaction on climate change are organizing a youth summit at the University of Maryland next month. Organizers expect thousands of students to attend Power Shift 2007, a four-day climate summit beginning Nov. 2.

"It's the kids and their passion for the issue," says Jessy Tolkan, campaigns director for Power Shift. "We've been experiencing a ground swelling in the youth climate movement."

The goal of Power Shift is simple. The summit is aimed at engaging high school and college students from across the nation to brainstorm possible solutions regarding the climate crisis.

On November 5th, the final day of the summit, students will be encouraged to attend Lobby Day in nearby Washington D.C., where they plan to approach their elected officials and push legislation on increased global awareness.

According to Brianna Cayo Cotter, co-organizer of the event, leaders have "failed" by ignoring the issue and letting the situation amass into a powder keg.

"(Elected officials) have created an circumstance where it's now down to the wire," Cotter said. "We have to reverse it in order to avoid an unbelievable climate catastrophe."

The environment is an issue that is unlike any other, says Tolkan. It crosses boundaries far beyond those concerning race, gender and class.

"This is the most diverse generation in American history," says Tolkan. "This conference is going to look different. We've recruited students from all over the country representing different cultural backgrounds."

"This is our planet," she said. "We need our leaders to step up and take action."

Among the speakers expected at the summit is Van Jones, a civil rights and environmental activist from Oakland, Calif. Jones says that anytime young people come to Washington, "good things happen."

"(The youth) are going to be the ones living through the worst impact of today's political waffling and indecision," Jones said. "These are really exciting times. The kids are taking the future into their hands."

Power Shift is funded by a number of organizations such as The Rockefeller Foundation, Green-Peace, The Ford Foundation, Rock the Vote and others.

In addition to Jones, scheduled speakers also include Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., CEO of the Hip-Hop Caucus, environmental activist Julia Bonds, and Carol Browner, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency during the Clinton administration.

For more information, visit powershift07.org.