Students attend global warming seminar in DC
by Allegra Abramson | Llama Ledger Staff
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: News
On Nov. 2, 15 Simon's Rock students drove by bus and car to Washington, D.C., to converge with over 5,000 other college students from all across the country to help combat a common enemy: global warming.
Students attended panels, performances, workshops, hearings and a rally on Capitol Hill to help gain a better understanding of how to build a clean energy economy, achieve energy independence, secure green jobs and foster global equity, before returning to campus Nov. 5.
Power Shift 2007 had three main goals: to force Congress and the presidential candidates to make solving global warming a priority; to unify a network of motivated young leaders; and to achieve broad geographic diversity so as to represent every Congressional district in the country.
The panels students attended provided informative views regarding a wide range of environmental issues, first-year Eliza Mellion said.
"Saturday there was a day of panels on many different facets of climate change, ranging from legislation to the impact college campuses have on global warming to alternative energy to how food production contributes negatively."
Each day offered widely varying activities for students, and though the topics were often similar, they provided new insight when presented differently, Mellion said.
"Sunday was all workshops, which was a lot more interactive. It was the same topics, but you figured out how you could do more to actually implement what you learned. Like, for example, we learned about socially responsible consumerism, like which products to buy and how to use your power as a consumer so as not to contribute to global warming."
Sunday evening offered lobby day training, where students met in small groups with one another and had mock meetings with representatives and learned to lobby effectively, Mellion said.
In the evenings, speakers such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talked, and entertainment like music ranging from rap, bluegrass and spoken word was provided.
Power Shift also served as an opportunity for students for create new connections with other environmentally conscious individuals, first-year Ola Badejo said.
"Along with other students, I was lectured about the UN-supported Renewable Nations Consortium, which, as part of its mission, seeks to establish educational centers where students will learn about renewable energy and the environment and contribute to studies that influence policy," Badejo said.
"I was able to speak one-on-one with one of the consortium members, Allen Baer, about the effects of changing policy on members of the working-class."
Power Shift concluded with a rally on Capitol Hill, where speakers such as Van Jones spoke and a hearing took place, Mellion said.
Contact the author: aabramson@llamaledger.com
Students attended panels, performances, workshops, hearings and a rally on Capitol Hill to help gain a better understanding of how to build a clean energy economy, achieve energy independence, secure green jobs and foster global equity, before returning to campus Nov. 5.
Power Shift 2007 had three main goals: to force Congress and the presidential candidates to make solving global warming a priority; to unify a network of motivated young leaders; and to achieve broad geographic diversity so as to represent every Congressional district in the country.
The panels students attended provided informative views regarding a wide range of environmental issues, first-year Eliza Mellion said.
"Saturday there was a day of panels on many different facets of climate change, ranging from legislation to the impact college campuses have on global warming to alternative energy to how food production contributes negatively."
Each day offered widely varying activities for students, and though the topics were often similar, they provided new insight when presented differently, Mellion said.
"Sunday was all workshops, which was a lot more interactive. It was the same topics, but you figured out how you could do more to actually implement what you learned. Like, for example, we learned about socially responsible consumerism, like which products to buy and how to use your power as a consumer so as not to contribute to global warming."
Sunday evening offered lobby day training, where students met in small groups with one another and had mock meetings with representatives and learned to lobby effectively, Mellion said.
In the evenings, speakers such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talked, and entertainment like music ranging from rap, bluegrass and spoken word was provided.
Power Shift also served as an opportunity for students for create new connections with other environmentally conscious individuals, first-year Ola Badejo said.
"Along with other students, I was lectured about the UN-supported Renewable Nations Consortium, which, as part of its mission, seeks to establish educational centers where students will learn about renewable energy and the environment and contribute to studies that influence policy," Badejo said.
"I was able to speak one-on-one with one of the consortium members, Allen Baer, about the effects of changing policy on members of the working-class."
Power Shift concluded with a rally on Capitol Hill, where speakers such as Van Jones spoke and a hearing took place, Mellion said.
Contact the author: aabramson@llamaledger.com
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