At Power Shift, young leaders from all backgrounds will share
ideas, learn new skills, make connections and ultimately use their
collective experience to create a fresh, inspiring vision of the
future; one focused on America's potential to build a clean energy
economy, achieve energy independence, create millions of green
jobs, increase global equity, and revitalize the economy.
Some students will meet later today with Rep. Dingell's staff
and deliver their petitions. This past summer, Dingell voted
against a national renewable energy standard of 15 percent and
stymied any significant increase to auto fuel efficiency standards,
a concession to the auto industry from which he enjoys overwhelming
support. Dingell now says he wants a carbon tax and a
cap-and-trade system to reduce emissions, but his public comments
suggest he may try to derail meaningful progress in Congress on
global warming.
In a July interview on C-SPAN, Dingell announced he would
propose the carbon tax but warned that voters might not be willing
to pay it to limit greenhouse gas emissions. He said he would
introduce the idea "just to sort of see how people really feel
about this." Then last month Dingell added, "a carbon tax is going
to carry with it a lot of pain."
"Young people we have an incredible opportunity to advance an
inspiring new vision for America and at Power Shift they will,"
said Kate Smolski, Greenpeace Legislative Coordinator. "While
leaders like John Dingell have been telling us what they can't do
about climate change, a youth movement has grown to show this
country exactly how much we can do. From our college campuses to
Capitol Hill, they are demanding that bold and immediate action be
taken to avoid a climate crisis."
Michigan resident and Michigan State junior Skye Black said she
wants Dingell to take immediate action for her, her family, and the
planet.
"Rep. Dingell is dragging his feet on solutions on global
warming," Black said. "We want no more rhetoric, stalling, or false
promises. We want action now."
With voter registration among 18-29 year olds at its highest
level in thirty years - and rising - young voters have become an
increasingly important demographic, and the urgency of adopting
bold action to address global warming and recast energy policy has
not been lost on them: 47% of those young voters in 2006 indicated
that their votes went to candidates based on their concern about
the U.S. energy policy. Along these lines, event organizers have
invited 2008 presidential candidates and influential environmental
advocates to address the conference.
The activities of the young people attending Power Shift 2007
are amplified by the hundreds of activities that took place in
communities across the nation this past weekend encouraging
Congress to "Step It Up" in addressing the issue of climate change.
The Energy Action Coalition and Step It Up are united in support of
the 1Sky Climate Initiative calling for a bolder, broader direction
in addressing climate change.
Energy Action Coalition is a group of over 40 leading youth
environmental and social justice organizations, including
Greenpeace, working together to leverage their collective power and
strengthen the clean energy movement in North America. In August
2006, Energy Action launched the Campus Climate Challenge, a joint
campaign by 37 organizations from the US and Canada focused on
uniting students to pass 100% clean energy policies on their
campuses. Since its inception, the Climate Challenge has spread to
students on more than 500 high school and college campuses.
For more information on Power Shift, including a full conference
agenda and registration guidelines, please visit www.powershift07.org. For
more on Energy Action and their initiatives, please visit www.energyaction.net. For
more information on Greenpeace, please visit www.greenpeace.org
###
A Project of Energy Action Coalition. Energy Action Coalition
membPowerers include: Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education, Black Mesa Water Coalition,
CalPIRG, California Student Sustainability Coalition, Campus
Progress, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Clean Air Cool Planet,
ConnPIRG, CoPIRG, Earth Day Network, Energy Justice Network,
Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative, Global
Exchange, Greenpeace Student Network, Indigenous Environmental
Network, Kids Against Pollution, League of Conservation Voters
Education Fund: Project Democracy, MassPIRG, National Association
of Environmental Law Societies, National Wildlife Federation's
Campus Ecology Program, NJPIRG, Rainforest Action Network,
Restoring Eden, Sierra Student Coalition, Sierra Youth Coalition,
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Student Environmental Action
Coalition, Students United for a Responsible Global Environment,
Sustainable Endowments Institute, WashPIRG, WisPIRG and Young
People 4.
VVPR info: CONTACT: Daniel Kessler, Greenpeace Media Officer
970.690.2728; 
**Student Availability**
**Photo Availability after 3 PM**