Blog Action Day – Consequence
This year, Blog Action Day’s theme is “Climate Change.” I’ve been thinking about the theme for a few days now, trying to figure out what I would write about on this here little ol’ blog.
I thought about writing about how being childfree is something huge I’ve done for the environment, but I believe I’ve covered that elsewhere.
I thought about writing about my beloved Prius, but, you know, been there – done that.
Ditto bicycling.
And walking.
And then I got to thinking about the possibility that I’m running out of things to blog about. Which could be one of the reasons, coupled with an insanely busy schedule these last couple of months, that I’ve been very lax in my posting. And then I started thinking about what we should have for dinner. Indian food? Italian? And then, finally, I came back around to Blog Action Day.
And then I started perusing the Blog Action Day website for some ideas.
Which is when I came across the link to the Consequence website.
And a little light bulb went on above my head. Just like in the cartoons. Don’t you just love it when that happens? It’s so much better than when you see stars.
But I digress.
Consequence, it seems, is a call to today’s youth (can anyone say that without the scene from My Cousin Vinny running through his/her head? ) to create green jobs. And I thought, hey, that’s exactly what some people (though not enough people and not the right people) have been talking about for Erie.
Here’s what Consequence is about, in its own words:
Consequence is a national youth campaign calling for urgent Congressional action on a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan that delivers clean energy jobs, less pollution, and a more secure America. Young people have an incredibly important role to play in demanding a clean energy future. They understand that we must pursue a “Yes We Can” approach to our nation’s climate and energy challenges, and that there are real consequences—for our economy, our security and the future of our planet—if Congress fails to act.
Through an intensive effort to organize and mobilize these young voters, the partners of the Consequence campaign will ensure that our elected officials know that young people demand a commitment to a clean energy economy that creates millions of clean energy jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and curbs dangerous global warming pollution.
Congress is moving now on clean energy and climate legislation that will move America toward a clean energy economy. This legislation will help to create new clean energy jobs and whole new industries while protecting the climate from the carbon pollution that causes global warming As the bill moves forward, the partners of Consequence will organize young people across America to demand Congress to pass legislation that will unleash investment in clean energy sources, like wind and solar, increase energy efficiency to save consumers money, and set firm limits on global warming.
I chose to feature Consequence on on Blog Action Day because I think it fits in nicely with the kind of future I’d like to see Erie embrace. Everyone bitches and moans about how “manufacturing” and “industry” are gone, never to return… the “whoa is me” crowd. Instead of complaining about no longer having what once was, why not work to obtain what no one else (or few others) have – a green economic base.* Why isn’t Erie looking to be the wave of the future, instead of being the ghost town of the past?
Of course, I also really like how Consequence calls for young voters to get up off their asses, get to the polls, contact their representatives, and DO SOMETHING.
As Gandhi said, “you must be the change you want to see in the world.”
*And no, I don’t consider the “Tires to Energy” plant a green business. Their plan was to incinerate tires with no (or far too little) concern as to how much it would pollute Erie and the surrounding communities and what the results of that pollution would be on the health of, oh, I don’t know, maybe actual people? Oy. Don’t get me started on that subject.
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