As issue heats up, a rally on climate
Hieftje, Dingell pledge to fight warming caused by humans
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Correction Appended: This article misspelled the name of state Rep. Rebekah Warren.
Correction Appended: Due to an editing error, this article said Andrew Munn is the chair of the campus chapter of the Michigan Climate Change. He is the chair of the Michigan chapter.
Two people in polar bear suits stood on the steps of Burton Tower Saturday to protest human-caused climate change.
Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje and other representatives of local, state and federal government pledged to fight human-induced climate change in front of an crowd of about 200 on Ingalls Mall that afternoon.
The crowd withstood bitter temperatures to attend the rally. Many demonstrators wore ski caps, winter coats and wool mittens, even though it was mid-April, as they called on Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.
LSA junior Andrew Munn, the chair of the Michigan chapter of Climate Challenge, said he was impressed by the turnout because the weather was cold and several other major campus events took place on Saturday.
"Considering the weather, I'd say it was a good turnout," Munn said. "It's clear that it's a mainstream issue and people are taking it seriously."
The rally was one of more than 1,400 held by members of the Step It Up grassroots campaign on Saturday - a day the group named the National Day of Climate Action. Rallies with attendance ranging from 20 to 1,200 people took place from coast to coast.
The rallies came at a critical juncture in climate change policy. A United Nations report issued in January said that global warming is almost certainly being caused by humans. Meanwhile, the issue is garnering ever more attention from politicians and the press.
U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) told the audience on Ingalls Mall that he will begin drafting climate change legislation early this summer. He said he hopes the legislation will help mankind give the Earth to future generations in better shape than it is in right now.
"We do not own this world," Dingell said. "We borrow it from future generations."
Other speakers at the rally included State Sen. Liz Brater and State Rep. Rebekah Warren, both Ann Arbor Democrats.
Warren outlined three initiatives that were echoed by other speakers throughout the day: an emphasis on energy policy, improved environmental building codes and individual actions like replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones to increase energy efficiency.
Hieftje ended the event by speaking about Ann Arbor's dedication to environmental issues. He spoke about Ann Arbor's Green Energy Challenge, which stipulates that by 2010, the city government will obtain 30 percent of its energy from renewable sources. By 2015, the challenge aims to meet 20 percent of Ann Arbor's total energy needs with renewable energy.
"Don't let anyone tell you we can't make the change to green energy," he said. "We're doing it."
Correction Appended: Due to an editing error, this article said Andrew Munn is the chair of the campus chapter of the Michigan Climate Change. He is the chair of the Michigan chapter.
Two people in polar bear suits stood on the steps of Burton Tower Saturday to protest human-caused climate change.
Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje and other representatives of local, state and federal government pledged to fight human-induced climate change in front of an crowd of about 200 on Ingalls Mall that afternoon.
The crowd withstood bitter temperatures to attend the rally. Many demonstrators wore ski caps, winter coats and wool mittens, even though it was mid-April, as they called on Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.
LSA junior Andrew Munn, the chair of the Michigan chapter of Climate Challenge, said he was impressed by the turnout because the weather was cold and several other major campus events took place on Saturday.
"Considering the weather, I'd say it was a good turnout," Munn said. "It's clear that it's a mainstream issue and people are taking it seriously."
The rally was one of more than 1,400 held by members of the Step It Up grassroots campaign on Saturday - a day the group named the National Day of Climate Action. Rallies with attendance ranging from 20 to 1,200 people took place from coast to coast.
The rallies came at a critical juncture in climate change policy. A United Nations report issued in January said that global warming is almost certainly being caused by humans. Meanwhile, the issue is garnering ever more attention from politicians and the press.
U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) told the audience on Ingalls Mall that he will begin drafting climate change legislation early this summer. He said he hopes the legislation will help mankind give the Earth to future generations in better shape than it is in right now.
"We do not own this world," Dingell said. "We borrow it from future generations."
Other speakers at the rally included State Sen. Liz Brater and State Rep. Rebekah Warren, both Ann Arbor Democrats.
Warren outlined three initiatives that were echoed by other speakers throughout the day: an emphasis on energy policy, improved environmental building codes and individual actions like replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones to increase energy efficiency.
Hieftje ended the event by speaking about Ann Arbor's dedication to environmental issues. He spoke about Ann Arbor's Green Energy Challenge, which stipulates that by 2010, the city government will obtain 30 percent of its energy from renewable sources. By 2015, the challenge aims to meet 20 percent of Ann Arbor's total energy needs with renewable energy.
"Don't let anyone tell you we can't make the change to green energy," he said. "We're doing it."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Andrew Munn
Andrew Munn
posted 4/16/07 @ 10:14 AM EST
Correction:
Chris Detjen and Shari Pomerantz (Freshman Mary Lemmer will replace Shari in the fall) are the co-chairs of the Environmental Issues Commission, which is running a renewable energy and energy conservation campaign here at UM. (Continued…)
iwrote1
posted 4/16/07 @ 10:14 AM EST
If anyone out there is open minded enough to want the truth - as told by climate scientists rather than someone who has financial rewards based on making you believe a lie, they should do a google search for a free a movie called ' THE GREAT GLOBAL WARMING SWINDLE . (Continued…)
Audrey L. Jackson
posted 4/16/07 @ 3:58 PM EST
John Dingell is a hypocrite on the environment and racism. Review his vote on the Energy Bill in 2006. After hearing him use the term "nigger lover" in a public library, I'm not even sold on his heralded civil rights votes. (Continued…)
Andrew Munn
posted 4/16/07 @ 10:11 AM EST
Correction:
Chris Detjen and Shari Pomerantz (Freshman Mary Lemmer will replace Shari in the fall) are the co-chairs of the Environmental Issues Commission, which is running a renewable energy and energy conservation campaign here at UM. (Continued…)