Climate Summer

The Supreme Court ruled that the EPA can now regulate greenhouse gas emissions. (link) Just because it can, doesn't mean it will. The EPA is still controlled by the White house and there is still no legislation in place. (link) What do these far away happenings in DC have to do with little ole' Williamstown? (I mean, aside from the obvious.)

It means now is the time to increase our efforts. One way I'll be doing that is working in Concord, NH this summer with Climate Summer. From the website:

But if we are going to succeed, now is the time to educate the public and encourage leaders to rise to the challenge of confronting global warming. This summer, in the tradition of the original Freedom Summer campaign, we will work with residents in New Hampshire and Iowa to change the current dynamic surrounding global warming and send a strong signal that inaction is no longer an option.

The 2008 presidential nomination process in these two states provides a national platform to engage and shape the public debate on clean energy and global warming. The focus and megaphone of the national media allow individual actions to gain national attention and make it so we can effectively raise the public debate to ensure leadership on this critical issue.

We are shifting away from campus politics and onto the national scene, and we are strong. All the skills that we have learned about speaking to administrators, educating and exciting the public and generally kicking ass are now going to be transferred to the community, state and national levels. Step it Up is the start, but its only the beginning.

We have a unique opportunity fight an environmental campaign in a new way. We are not lobbying for small changes, compromising and making long-term plans. Instead, we are creating and riding on a movement, a huge section of the American public already supports us and it is up to us to galvanize that support, to listen to the science and hold out legislators to the highest standards.

This is the most important thing any of us have been involved in, and in 30 years you won't remember the skipped classes, lost sleep or endless meetings. You will remember being a part of solving the biggest issue of our generation.