Sample Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I am a student at [Name of University]. As the generation that will be most directly affected by global warming, we are demanding that elected officials enact real policy solutions that end our addiction to fossil fuels and move towards clean energy. In addition we are also demanding that our campus start right now in this fight by _________________________________________....

Students from over 575 campuses across the U.S. and Canada organized events on their campuses last week as part of the largest youth mobilization on global warming. We engaged other students in serious discussion about what we can do to deal with the issue through personal and political means. We are advocating for clean energy policies on our campuses, seeking meetings with members of Congress and planning for future events.

Students are rising to the challenge and declaring that enough is enough. We need bold and effective action to avert a climate crisis because our future is at stake.


Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Sample Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[INSERT DATE]

CONTACT: [INSERT CONTACT]
[INSERT CONTACT PHONE, EMAIL]

[INSERT SCHOOL] STUDENTS JOIN 570 SCHOOLS IN U.S. AND CANADA-WIDE WEEK OF ACTION TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING

 

[INSERT LOCATION - INSERT SCHOOL] students are rising to the climate challenge during a national week of action to demand solutions that end our addiction to fossil fuels and build towards a clean energy future. The week of action, organized by the Campus Climate Challenge, includes more than 570 events covering 49 states and 8 Canadian provinces.

[INSERT NAME OF GROUP] will host a screening of An Inconvenient Truth, the acclaimed documentary featuring former Vice-President Al Gore crossing the country educating Americans about the climate crisis. Following the movie will be a discussion of the issues raised in the film and direct opportunities for attendees to take action on campus and in the local community to advance clean energy policies and practices.

[INSERT LOCAL SPECIFIC INFO, I.E. "Also today, the student government passed a resolution demanding that the school purchase energy from clean, renewable sources like solar and wind power."]

Who:

What:

When:

Where:

[INSERT QUOTE FROM STUDENT LEADER, I.E. "At American University, we have already held a successful student referendum to move the university towards wind-generated energy," says student Claire Roby. "But that's not enough. We are joining with students from around the country during the week of action to demand real solutions to stop global warming."]

[INSERT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR GROUP/CAMPAIGN.]

The Campus Climate Challenge, a project of the Energy Action Coalition, unites young people to organize on college campuses and high schools to win 100% clean energy policies at their schools. Energy Action Coalition is a network of 41 organizations from across the United States and Canada, founded and led by youth to help support and strengthen the student and youth clean energy movement in the United States and Canada. Energy Action Coalition partners are: Americans for Informed Democracy, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Brower New Leaders Initiative, California Student Sustainability Coalition, Campus Progress, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Clean Air Cool Planet, Climate Crisis Coalition, ConnPIRG, CoPIRG, Dakota Resource Council, Earth Day Network, Energy Justice Network, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative, Global Exchange, Greenpeace Student Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, INPIRG, Kids Against Pollution, League of Conservation Voters Education Fund: Project Democracy, League of Young Voters, MarylandPIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, National Association of Environmental Law Societies, National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Program, NJPIRG, OhioPIRG, OSPIRG, Rainforest Action Network, Restoring Eden, Sierra Student Coalition, Sierra Youth Coalition, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Students United for a Responsible Global Environment, Sustainable Endowments Institute, SustainUS, Utah Clean Energy, WashPIRG, WISPIRG, Young People For and Youth Environmental Network.

For more information about the Climate Week of Action, please see http://www.climatechallenge.org/woa.

Media Talking Points

Media Talking Points

Hey all. Here are some good talking points when talking to media or just to your average citizen. Remember, always stick on message, because ANYTHING you say can be printed.

• Young people will be the most impacted by global warming, yet they have been given the least opportunity to speak. By organizing more than 570 events on campuses across the United States and Canada, young people are demonstrating real solutions to end our addiction to fossil fuels. We are organizing this Week of Climate Action to take the reigns and create our own opportunities to solve the climate crisis.
  
  
• There are events being planned in 49 states and 8 Canadian provinces. The fact that these events are happening everywhere from the Yukon Territory to Miami shows that this issue of global warming has become truly mainstream.
  
  
• The events will range from screenings of An Inconvenient Truth where viewers will be asked to sign petitions to their members of Congress (or members of Parliament) to educational forums about global warming to rallies for clean energy and justice for communities affected by fossil fuels and climate change.
  
  
• Young people are tired of talk. We want action. During the State of the Union address last week their was a lot of talk about addressing our energy problems with the same old fossil fuel technologies that got us into this mess. Young people know that the climate crisis is real, we know we are going to be more impacted by it than any previous generation, and we know that we need bold and just action for real solutions, not more words.
  
  
• Young people are beginning by pushing for passage of clean energy polices on their campuses and are moving out to their larger communities to urge Congress members and large corporations to take action to reduce carbon emissions.
  
  
• The actions we as a society take or fail to take now will determine the future of young people. We can't wait for report after report to confirm what we already know. Global warming is real and we must take bold and comprehensive action to build a clean energy future.
  
  
• With the week of action, we are stepping up as young people to declare our right to a future free of fossil fuels that pollute our air, water and land. We demand real solutions to stop global warming.
  

Some Key Facts

• Over 200 college and universities in the U.S. and Canada are already buying clean power to meet their campus energy needs. Source: The Business Case for Renewable Energy, Andree Duggan.
  
  
• As of January 22nd, 2007, more than 50 college and university Presidents and Chancellors have submitted letters of intent expressing their intent to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Source: http://www.aashe.org/pcc/signatories.php
  
  
• The incoming U.S. Congress is the least beholden to the oil and gas industries in a generation: In the 2006 election cycle, members of 110th Congress accepted fewer total campaign donation dollars from the oil and gas industry than members any other Congress since 1990. Source: http://action.priceofoil.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6494&t=wide.dwt