Georgia’s History of Denia Fuels Youth Action
Since September, the Georgia legislature has been hosting hearings on the credibility of global warming science entitled “Global Warming: Fact or Fictionâ€,
in which the legislature continues to conclude; “There are too many
opinions out there to draw any conclusion on the subject.†Students
and youth are taking leadership on the issue, which is lacking in large
portions of the state’s legislature and utility companies like Georgia
Power and Southern Company (both of which actively lobb against the
Nation Renewable Standards).
On thursday January 31st, though, Students and professors from more
then 1,300 campuses across the country engaged in ‘green’ teach-ins and
events to educate peers and constituence of the solutions, and
importance, of strong action on global warming.
In Georgia, more then 50 students from 7 colleges and universties
joined as Georgia Students for Sustainability to host a youth-led
global warming lobby day in Atlanta.
The Focus the Nation event began with a press conference at 10am on
the capital steps where student leaders Sarah Parsons, Emory, and
Mcnair Wagner, Georgia State, among others, called for legislators to
listen to the youth voice on the issue of climate change, and to take
immediate and strong action in the state. Students then held around 20
lobby meeting with state representatives about the clear possibility of
building a stronger state economy through renewable energy legislation.
The lobby-day also included a “Lunch-n-Lobby†with many state
representatives where You-Tube videos, made by students from across the
state, were shown to state represenatives. The video’s
highlighted more the need for Georgia to take a lead in creating green
jobs, a state renewable energy standard, and to put an end to coal
development in the state.
Curretly the students in the state are fighting two proposed coal plants, one proposed
by the Dynegy corporation, which has proposed coal fired power-plants
in six other states, recenlty moved dangerously closer to starting it’s
project when a state judge approved the State Environmental Protection
Division’s granted Air-Quality Permit.
“As young people across the nation, it’s our imperative to take
action on this moral issue, and to work with legislators and businesses
to improve our futures by passing strong renewable energy and energy
efficiency policies, which will make the world healthier, and create
new, longer lasting jobs.†said Sara Parsons, a student at Emory
University, and Focus the Nation lobby day coordinator.
