2008 Woodie Awards
Power Shift stresses global change
Michelle Constant
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
On April 19-21, between 40 and 50 students from the College, local high school students and other community members united on campus for the Power Shift Vermont 2008 conference. On Monday, the group traveled to Montpelier to demand that the Vermont legislature and governor pass a strong version of the climate solution bill. Keynote speakers included Vermont State Representative David Zuckerman, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, and Betsy Taylor, co-founder and board president of 1Sky.
Power Shift Vermont was modeled after the national conference Power Shift 2007. The national event was based on a global initiative to reduce carbon dioxide concentrations to 350 parts per million, while it is currently at an unsafe 383 parts per million. According to the organizers of the Vermont conference, there have been many other follow-up conferences, including Massachusetts Power Shift and Cascade Power Shift in the Washington and Oregon area.
In order to work towards this goal locally, Vermont Power Shift supports cutting Vermont carbon admissions at least 75 percent by 2050, creating a green jobs program in the state of Vermont and encouraging the use of renewable resources and sustainability in all sectors, including heating and transportation
"The name Power Shift shows how we want to literally shift how we get power," said conference organizer Lilly Corenthal '10, "but it also works in a political, social sense of how we want to shift power into the hands of the community."
The objective of Power Shift Vermont includes giving Vermont college and high school students the necessary knowledge to take action in finding sustainable energy sources. The organizers were enthusiastic about the event's potential to share ideas and solutions among students and community members.
"Our goal is to unify Vermont in this climate movement, bringing in lots of education aspects and getting people more in touch with what is going on with the environment," said Corenthal.
Power Shift Vermont was modeled after the national conference Power Shift 2007. The national event was based on a global initiative to reduce carbon dioxide concentrations to 350 parts per million, while it is currently at an unsafe 383 parts per million. According to the organizers of the Vermont conference, there have been many other follow-up conferences, including Massachusetts Power Shift and Cascade Power Shift in the Washington and Oregon area.
In order to work towards this goal locally, Vermont Power Shift supports cutting Vermont carbon admissions at least 75 percent by 2050, creating a green jobs program in the state of Vermont and encouraging the use of renewable resources and sustainability in all sectors, including heating and transportation
"The name Power Shift shows how we want to literally shift how we get power," said conference organizer Lilly Corenthal '10, "but it also works in a political, social sense of how we want to shift power into the hands of the community."
The objective of Power Shift Vermont includes giving Vermont college and high school students the necessary knowledge to take action in finding sustainable energy sources. The organizers were enthusiastic about the event's potential to share ideas and solutions among students and community members.
"Our goal is to unify Vermont in this climate movement, bringing in lots of education aspects and getting people more in touch with what is going on with the environment," said Corenthal.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
Jim Peden
posted 4/24/08 @ 12:02 PM EST
Too bad the Power Shift folks didn't bother to take a look at the actual science before marching off to Montpelier in their Polar Bear suits. If they had, they might have noticed that all CO2-Temperature correlative data ( without exception ) shows that CO2 levels lag, rather than lead, temperature excursions. (Continued…)
Nick
posted 4/24/08 @ 2:19 PM EST
Uhhhh...
According to this page:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/states/statesvt.html
"Of the 50 States plus the District of Columbia, the electric industry of the State of Vermont ranks lowest in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. (Continued…)
Pat
posted 5/02/08 @ 12:35 AM EST
Don't forget the crackpot from Yale, Gus Speth, who was here telling us that we just have to give up growth and learn to be happier....to thunderous applause from the envirodrones. (Continued…)
Post a Comment