Victor Maccharoli- Standing in front of a wooden windmill yesterday at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, students from throughout the state called on national leaders to pass firm legislation to stem greenhouse gas emissions and halt global warming.
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Students ask leaders to tackle global warming
Standing in front of a wooden windmill yesterday at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, students from throughout the state called on national leaders to pass firm legislation to stem greenhouse gas emissions and halt global warming.
The group of about two-dozen students, representatives of CALPIRG (California Student Public Interest Research Group), said they decided to forgo trips to Cancun, Mexico and other southern climes for spring break, and instead drum up support for their cause via a statewide tour.
“We think that global warming is really the defining issue of our generation,” said Sarah Dobjensky, a junior at UCLA. “We’re encouraging our elected officials to be really strong on global warming.”
Dobjensky said CALPIRG is imploring the Obama Administration to pass national global warming legislation in the new president’s first 100 days in office.
One official whom the students believe has shown leadership in this arena is Rep. Lois Capps.
Though Capps was not in attendance, the students gave one of the congresswoman’s representatives the Climate Hero Award, a framed green cape with an earth button attached.
In a prepared statement, Capps said she was committed to ensuring a national renewable electricity standard is established in the near future.
UC Santa Barbara professor of environmental studies Dr. Ed Keller told the students the global temperature has risen by a half-degree in the last 100 years and will likely increase a full degree in the coming decades, even if aggressive steps are taken to thwart greenhouse gas emissions.
Politics aside, Keller said it’s in everyone’s best interest to change the way humans consume energy.
Using coal as an example, he noted its widespread use is justified by its affordability.
By sheer dollars, Keller said coal is cheap. But whenever one calculates the value of a commodity, he said it’s important to take into account the externalities. And in the case of coal and other dirty fuels, a big external factor is the long-term health of people and the planet.
“How much is it worth for your last couple years of life to be healthy?” Keller asked. “What kind of world do we want for our children and their children?”
Dr. Walter Kohn, a UCSB physics professor and Nobel Peace Prize winner who has long championed solar and other alternative forms of energy, said he doesn’t envy the young people who are going to be forced to deal with the issue of global warming.
“The time to act is now,” Kohn said. “It’s not just a slogan, it’s a necessity. It’s too bad you have to deal with such a problem.”
Before the week is out, the students will make stops in Sand Diego and Los Angeles.
Comment on this article
More exploitation of school children to propagate political agendas by the Chicken Littles : 3/26/2009
The poor brainwashed kids. When I was in school I remember our biggest fear being the threat of nuclear war. They are so indoctrinated now that they actually consider global warming to be a bigger threat. It goes right along with every impotent doomsday scare since the times of chicken little - the sky falling, Y2K, the cold war and mutually assured destruction - even the global cooling doomsday theory in Newsweek magazine in the 70's. Meanwhile Iran gears up for suicidal world annihilation, laughing as we are distracted by this stupid stuff.You think the planet is warm now, wait until Iran or Korea lob a a few big ones toward Israel or Japan. Then "global warming" won't seem like such dire and immediate problem.
Aaron Shaw
Garbage in, garbage out... : 3/26/2009
It would be nice if we taught our kids to think on their own. In the late 80s, ABC News actually reported that 3 of 10 heterosexuals would be dead in 3 years; the 70s were about sure overpopulation, widespread famine in the U.S., and an impending ice age; the 60s ushered in radical environmentalism (Silent Spring) with a loud, paranoid shriek -- "chemicals are killing us!" These people move from one doomsday theory to another with one overriding goal; eradicate capitalism. The predictive models for global warming are insane, ridiculous, and bear next to zero chance of reflecting a future reality (see the book; The Fortune Sellers). Global weather systems are much too complex to accurately predict. BTW, do these kids receive any education in economics to go along with the socialist indoctrination? These forms of green energy would be wonderful if they could be sustained by a free market; they can't because they're too expensive and inefficient. Energy costs are at the core of what we used to call an economy. How are "our kids" going to feel when they are forced to go through life underemployed with $30 bread because China and India can do everything cheaper burning coal? You government lunkheads need to get out and try to earn a living in the real world.
Loud Whispers
The Sky is Falling! : 3/27/2009
But wait, the globe is warming! It is a fact! My God, it’s been doing it since the last ice age. Whatever are we to do?!? Panic; give all your money, rights and freedoms to Al Gore and his new religion before it’s too late!!! Wait a minute, I like trees, trees like CO2 and burning cheap coal produces lots of CO2, sooooooo, burn coal like there is no tomorrow and my trees will be very happy!
AN50
Shawisms : 3/30/2009
Dont forget the top tier GOP scaremongers' spew about " Obama the terrorist " . While you rightwingnut ,middle east meddling ,finger nail chewing nabobs have your panties in a bunch about issues half a world away at least Obama the terrorist is taking solid steps to address our little problem with our neighbors to the south . Where were you guys for the last 8 years on this one ?
Ned
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