Last Friday marked the beginning of a four-day march meant to raise awareness about global warming. The event kicked off on the steps of Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus around noon with colorful posters and a dancing polar bear.
The march traveled from Rutgers to Princeton University, The College of New Jersey and finally the State House in Trenton today.
A multitude of groups attended with only one goal in mind: solutions for global warming. In addition to the speakers present, there was a group called the Solidarity Singers, raising morale and awareness by singing songs with lyrics geared to global warming issues. "We will pump out all the planet's oil just to fuel our SUV's."
Throughout the one-hour rally, speakers emphasized the need for clean energy and the urgent need for New Jersey to cut carbon emissions 80 percent by the year 2050. The group was collecting signatures for the Global Warming Response Act and a petition to legislators to support their cause.
Carlos Rhymer, organizer of the march and part of the NJ Climate March, gave a speech outlining the goals of the march.
"If we don't do anything, millions of people will be without water and shelter," he said. "We can fight global warming by adding millions of jobs and trillions [of dollars] to the economy." He also stated the march was the "largest event in New Jersey to address global warming."
In fact, on Saturday there were 1300 other events nationwide addressing the issue of global warming. Ted Glick, coordinator of Climate Crisis Control, said. "All over the country tomorrow, there will be actions in all 50 states … calling on the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
"This is not isolated - [it's] a growing phenomenon across the country," said Glick.
Julia Shaw, the NJ Field representative for the Alaska Wilderness League, focused her speech on the severe effects of global warming on the environment. "Alaska is the place most affected by global warming," she said. "A temperature shift of one degree in the lower 48 [states] makes for a temperature change of a couple of degrees in Alaska."
This is bad news for the wildlife, especially the polar bears, which may be moving up on the endangered species list. "Alaska is the predictor of what's to come," Shaw said.
Assemblywoman Linda Stender gave a speech encouraging today's generation to get on board with this issue.
"The issue of global warming is so dire, so real. Where are we going to be in 2050? And people are going to say, 'What did you do? Did you do enough to stop the effects of global warming?'"
"This is the challenge for your generation. Today's youth has an opportunity, unlike other generations. You can make a change that will ensure survival," Stender said.
Stender is a staunch supporter of the Global Warming Response Act and has passed legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emission in the future.
Among the groups present was the student group Ecological Change Coalition. Faizah Ansari, a Douglass College first-year student, said she came to "help promote change."
Many speakers mentioned the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the issue of global warming must happen now - or not at all. As Rhymer said, this is "the only option we have."
Rachel Dawn Scharf, Master of Ceremonies for this event and an alumnus of Rutgers University, expressed her concern about the lack of media coverage on global warming. "The media is not reporting it - the current administration is still working very hard to suppress EPA reports and that worries me deeply."
Scharf is volunteering for Environmental NJ, a sister organization to New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, in order to "increase coalition and legislative outreach."
She is participating in the march and hopes to get many signatures supporting the cause.
"There is no bigger, defining issue than climate change," Stender said.
She encouraged the group to "reach out to elected officials, and demand change!" By visiting www.njclimatemarch.org, students can sign the petition online, find ways to contact their representatives and learn to reduce energy use.
"I want to look back and say 'I cared enough to make a difference,'" Stender said.
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