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Middlebury Students Demand Plan for Independence from Dirty Energy

Middlebury Students Demand Plan for Independence from Dirty Energy

Published 10-19-04

Submitted by Energy Action

MIDDLEBURY, VT - With two weeks until Election Day, students at Middlebury College rallied to declare their independence from dirty energy. Students listened to speeches by climate change expert Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature, and Bob Huth, Vice President and Treasurer of the college, who played an integral role in developing the college's Carbon Reduction Initiative. The demonstration was one of more than 250 events taking place on Tuesday in a North American Day of Action.

The group joined tens of thousands of young voters calling for increased support for clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, that would protect the environment and public health, while creating millions of new jobs and ending America's dependence on foreign oil.

The goal of the event was to make students aware of the pressing need for energy policies designed to reverse climate change. College students must know that reversing climate change is an achievable goal, and a responsibility of our generation said Middlebury student Scott Bulua, who organized the Middlebury event. With an upcoming presidential election, it is vital that the country's youth demand sound energy policies.

Organized by Energy Action, students and youth across North America hosted rallies, gathered signatures on a Declaration of Independence from Dirty Energy, and made phone calls to President Bush and Senator Kerry.

"Young voters are making the connections between U.S. reliance on dirty energy and the issues we care about most: war, job loss, and global warming," said Billy Parish, coordinator of Energy Action. "Our energy policy is dangerously misguided. A rapid shift to clean energy must be a priority in this election."

Politicians take note: We are not apathetic. We are informed and we are mobilizing in massive numbers to the polls on November 2nd, said Crystal Leaver of EnviroCitizen. Dependence on dirty energy is a critical issue for young voters because our generation will be the ones forced to clean up the mess from fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

"Our generation has grown up hearing excuses about why we aren't ready to stop relying on coal, oil, and nuclear. We are tired of billions of tax dollars going toward research for out-dated technologies at the expense of clean energy. Now is the time for bold leadership", said Josh Lynch, Student Organizer for Greenpeace.

For a complete list of actions and more information about Energy Action, see www.energyaction.net.

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