SRO News | Updates: Letter to Thomas Friedman - The "War Against Global Warming"

Letter to Thomas Friedman - The "War Against Global Warming"

Published Saturday, October 27, 2007 by SROmgmt | E-mail this post

Dear Thomas Friedman,

With all your articles on scaling up environmental action, broadening the environmental voice, and voting for the right people in government (October 21, Save the Planet: Vote Smart; October 17, The Green Collar Solution; October 10, Generation Q) - I hope that you will participate and join us November 2-5 for Power Shift 07.

This November 5th, the largest grassroots engagement with Congress on global warming to date, will be led not by Al Gore or paid lobbyists, but by thousands of young voters under the banner of the 1Sky Campaign and Power Shift 07 - the first-ever national youth summit united to solve the climate crisis. Power Shift 07 is slated to be an historic event, as this will be the first time in history that young people will be testifying to the government on global warming (and in so many numbers).

5,000 young people, representing all 50 states and over 300 Congressional districts, will flock to University of Maryland and Capitol Hill for the Power Shift 07 training sessions, rally, and lobby day. We have secured meetings with 100% of the Senate and 75% of the House of Representatives. The young voters will pledge for the following:

- 5 million green jobs conserving 20% of our energy by 2015

- Cut 80% of our carbon emissions by 2050 and 30% by 2020

- Moratorium on coal fire power plants and no new nukes

The lack of leadership in our nation's energy policy and the "War Against Global Warming" is appalling. In times like these, we need true leaders. Perhaps with the lack of leadership though, comes greater momentum for change. That's how I view Power Shift - a Phoenix rising from the ashes. And I'm happy to report that we HAVE found true leaders who have risen to the challenge...

We just happen to look at them everyday in our mirrors.

Sincerely,
Summer Rayne Oakes, age 23
Cornell University graduate - Natural Resources/Entomology/Geographic Information Systems

Communications Representative for Power Shift 07
powershift07.org

letter sent to editorial@nytimes.com on October 26, 2007

Labels: 1 Sky, 1 Sky Campaign, Energy Action, NY Times, power shift, Power Shift 07, Summer Rayne Oakes, Thomas Friedman