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Protesters Turn Up the Political Heat in Washington to Demand Greener Energy
Last weekend, twelve thousand students converged on Washington demanding the U.S. lead the world with a cleaner, greener, and more innovative energy policy. Powershift 09 attracted double the numbers of its 07 convention. All day long, students filled the halls of Congress lobbying their elected officials to fight global warming. Meanwhile, a parallel protest called the Capitol Climate Action was taking place out in the streets. Thousands marched to the Capitol Power Plant (owned by Congress) demanding that it convert from coal to natural gas. Activists like writer Bill McKibben, poet Wendell Berry, and NASA scientist James Hansen—who all risked arrest to make their point—hailed the days activities as the kickoff for a year of worldwide mobilizations leading to the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December.
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