For Immediate Release
November 18, 2008

Contact:
Brianna Cayo Cotter, Communications Director, Energy Action Coalition
E-Mail: Brianna@energyaction.net Phone: (415) 305 1943

Melisa Stodieck, 1Sky
E-Mail: melisa@1sky.org Phone: (952) 239-1551

Nationwide “Welcoming Party” Urges President-Elect and 111th Congress To Bold Leadership On Climate Crisis

Thousands of grassroots activists across the country mobilize to demonstrate their support for clean energy and green jobs

Considering the state of the world, we should be thankful the economy and energy have been at the forefront of this election.

But if Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama truly understand these issues, they will commit to attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poland this December, if elected. So far neither has.

Both concede the worldwide markets are volatile. Both cite the benefits of renewable energy and the need to reduce our carbon emissions, but both fear the repercussions of acting unilaterally. It doesn't take a presidential candidate to see the logical conclusion is to cooperate internationally on these issues - and Poland is the premier place to do it.

If they can't see the intrinsic relationship between these issues or the moral obligation that comes with being the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter per capita, then we must let them know.

October 6, 2008

by Bobette Riner, Houston

If something has 78% of the nation's approval, it's not an act of rebellion.

More than three-fourths of the country has told pollsters they want clean, renewable sources of energy. Perhaps that has helped the Energy Action Coalition (EAC) use more mainstream organizing tactics, as it reflects that majority will.

When the group began, it sponsored public protests and Fossil Fuel awards on April Fools' Day. It now unites 48 organizations, more than 600 local groups, and tens of thousands of young people in the US and Canada .

Its youth voter campaign, Power Vote, has hit the campaign trail. The non-partisan organization set up 30 9-foot-tall windmills at the University of Mississippi campus where the first debate was held for 2008 presidential candidates.

Power Vote hopes to turn up the volume on the issue of the climate in this year’s campaign and attract and mobilize as many as a million young climate voters.

October 31, 2008

by Rob Thomas

Hip-hop trio the Beastie Boys will help University of Wisconsin-Madison students get out the vote Sunday afternoon on campus.

The platinum-selling New York City trio best known for urging listeners to "Fight For Your Right To Party" in the 1980s will make a stop on the UW-Madison campus at 2 p.m. to join the Get Out the (Power) Vote effort. Students in green T-shirts and hard hats with the Power Vote organization will canvas Greek Row and other downtown locations urging students to vote in record numbers on Nov. 4. Power Vote aims to mobilize a million young voters to head to the polls Tuesday, focusing on clean energy and green economy issues.

Following the Madison stop, the Beastie Boys will head to Milwaukee to play a "Get Out and Vote" concert at 7 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Arena with Crosby and Nash, Tenacious D and Ben Harper. Tickets for that show are $35 through www.ticketmaster.com.

By: Katie Litvin
Posted: 11/3/08
An AU senior won the chance to meet with former Vice President and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore Wednesday through a contest run by Power Vote.

Casey Roe, a senior in the School of Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences, recruited the most pledge signatures on Facebook for Power Vote, according to Brianna Cotter, the organization's communications director. Power Vote is an offshoot organization connected to the Energy Action Coalition, which seeks to make clean renewable energy a priority for politicians and hold elected officials accountable for their promises on the issue.

Roe, who is the policy director for AU club Eco-Sense, worked with the club to help recruit more than 1,000 AU students for the Facebook campaign, according to Cotter.

By Lois Alley, Raleigh Telegram Political Reporter 06.NOV.08

RALEIGH - On election day in Raleigh, a vegetable-oil powered school bus gave student voters from North Carolina State University a free ride to the polls, while educating them about renewable energy.

The BioTour bus, a converted school bus which runs entirely on used vegetable cooking oil, parked near the "brickyard" on NC State's campus on election day, Tuesday, November 4th.

During the day, the bus handed out campaign materials about the candidates' stands on renewable energy and then in the afternoon, organizers say they drove students to the local polling sites to vote.

Organizers behind the bus ride also said they entertained voters at the Pullen Park voting location by giving away hot cocoa and playing music.

""I'm very motivated to vote even though I feel a bit exhausted by the 'epic' campaign. Energy-wise it's sapping, but emotions are running high. By and large I think people will be relieved when [the election] is over," said Crocker, who was wearing an Obama shirt.

By yesterday evening, many students had already voted and were ready to embrace the end of the election. But a lone group was still actively campaigning for its cause in Collegetown. After a day's lobbying on Ho Plaza, KyotoNOW! continued to persuade passers-by to prioritize environmental issues while they vote.
by Venus Wu

"[KyotoNOW! and PowerVote.org] are non-partisan. We hope that people are thinking about the environment while they vote, no matter who they vote for," said Liz Pavisha '09, vice president of the KyotoNOW! group.

By Brittany Hamilton November 7, 2008

Tuesday night was met with tension and elation. There was silence on the College of William and Mary campus, light from hundreds of TVs flickering through window blinds — the only indication that anyone was paying attention to the election. Then, out of the silence at around 11 p.m., in response to the announcements of Fox News, CNN, NBC and Jon Stewart ’84, thousands of students released a cry of triumph.

The energy was electric. People ran through the streets, screaming and cheering, not out of boastful pride but out of pure joy. For a moment, the Republicans, who had suffered a high-tension defeat, could not help but feel the excitement emanating from all the College students running down Ukrop Way. This election inspired the highest turnout of voters ages 18 to 29 since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1972 — the College was part of that.

By Venus Wu
Created Nov 5 2008 - 12:00am

Obamania erupted in Collegetown just after 11 p.m. as Barack Obama was declared the next president of the United States. People poured out of bars and crowded the streets as they soaked in the historic moment.

“It’s crazy, oh my God,” Leslie Tseng ’10 said. “Everyone is running up and down Dryden Road, yelling ‘Barack Obama’ and setting off fireworks.”

It was a time of unbridled celebration across campus.

“After McCain conceded, everyone was on cell phones, smiling and screaming. Everyone was really happy and the atmosphere was great,” Claudia Mattos ’11 said.Obamania [1]Obamania

Celebration sparked across Ithaca following Obama’s victory. Students congregated on Ho Plaza and stormed into Olin Library in a euphoric surge of exhilaration.