Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi hailed the young people involved in the effort to curb global warming as the "magnificent disrupters of our time," praising their efforts to shift the status quo on environmental policy Saturday night at Cole Field House during what organizers called the largest conference on climate change in American history.
More than 5,500 people, most of whom were young, came to the campus for the four-day conference, dubbed "Power Shift 2007." The conference featured workshops, individual state and regional meetings, speakers, musical acts and panels.
"The message she was sending was that we are fulfilling our duty as Americans and young people to make noise and challenge the status quo," said Student Government Association President Andrew Friedson. "A very powerful message, and there's no better place to have that kind of message than on a college campus."
On Saturday, the biggest draw of the night was Pelosi (D-Calif.), who spoke along with the head of the recently formed Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.).
"It's a fabulous event to see all this energy and determination," Pelosi said. "It also has an informed nature to it - the young people know what they are going to do and what they are fighting for."
Today, about 2,000 young people here for the conference will go to Washington to attend a congressional hearing by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which is considering legislation that would increase renewable energy use, create millions of "green" jobs and raise fuel economy standards. The group also plans to rally on the Capitol steps.
In her speech, which brought a standing ovation, Pelosi talked about changing U.S. involvement in global warming, saying that this country must be a leader in curbing carbon emissions.
People in the crowd also shouted comments about ending the Iraq War. When she responded that she was working to end American involvement there, the crowd erupted with applause.
Pelosi has made reducing global warming one of six key areas of focus, said her office. She helped pass a bill in August that requires greener buildings and appliances, as well as require U.S. leadership on global warming.
"Young people are going to change the world," said Markey. "The green generation is rising up and demanding that we change business as usual with the polluting industries."
Organizers said the event was particularly significant because it helped challenge the perception that students are apathetic.
"It's been a unique experience to work with all these people for a common solution," said student organizer Lauren Kim, president of the university chapter of MaryPIRG. "All these other campuses are working together to make sure everyone is active and involved and they don't give up."
The event was only four months in the making, said Tolkan. Friedson said he was contacted in August by members of US PIRG, the national umbrella organization over MaryPIRG and the Energy Action Coalition and was told he had 10 days to figure out if the campus could host the conference.
The university was chosen to host the event because of its proximity to Washington, its large size and its commitment to fighting global warming, said Jessy Tolkan, the executive director of programs for the Energy Action Coalition, a main organizer of the event.
Organizers said that University of Maryland students have made strides toward cleaner energy, citing a referendum passed in April in which 91 percent of students voted in favor of raising their fees by $12 to make the campus completely reliant on clean energy sources.
Staff writer Patsy Morrow contributed to this report. cwellsdbk@gmail.com
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