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BUCKHANNON — On the evening of April 21, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a panel discussion that tackled the tough issue of climate change.
The event was hosted jointly by WE LEAD Animal Welfare & Sustainability student team and LeeAnn Brown, former director at West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Center for Community Engagement.
Jess Scott (professor of gender studies at WVWC) was the moderator. There was an almost tangible sense of importance as I sat in the front row. The timing of the discussion seemed perfect, especially after a week that saw both snow and sun at 70 degrees.
Morgan King, a member the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, was the first speaker. Their mission is to provide clean drinking water for all. The organization provides watershed stewardship in West Virginia and educates others on the power to speak up.
“We try to build real political power and enact a real change,” Morgan explained as she gave her opening speech.
Morgan is a full time member of the WV Climate Campaign. Morgan discussed the West Virginia Climate Pledge, the latest addition to the campaign.
She explained that through their time they have found that, “only 50 percent of West Virginians are worried about climate change, which is 15 percent lower than the national level.”
Her goal through the West Virginia Climate Pledge is to outline five pillars of understanding to better spread the awareness of the issues at hand, the first pillar being, “I trust that human-caused climate change is happening.” From this jumping-off point, Morgan outlined various studies and graphs that helped to illustrate the dire situation we are in.
The global temperature rise was one of the most alarming facts. Over the past 200 years, the global temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius. Scientists are urging the globe to make changes that will limit that increase to only 1.5 degrees – or risk catastrophic climate change. However, as Morgan said, “Our current policies have us on a path to warm to almost 4 degrees Celsius by the allotted time.”
The Climate Pledge’s final pillar states, “I know that resources need to be provided to the communities that are most affected by climate change, and to those that are facing challenges as we inevitably transition from fossil fuels.”
In closing, Morgan spoke out about the need to ensure a fair transition for communities that have depended on fossil fuels’ economic infrastructure. This is a huge issue in the coal country of West Virginia and can’t be taken lightly; however, Morgan and her team seem to understand this concern and are actively looking for ways to safeguard these communities and people.
Lucia Valentine from West Virginia, who is the organizer for Moms Clean Air Force was the second speaker. Its mission is to “protect children from air pollution and climate change.” The organization works to provide information and education to those around the state as well as create opportunities for legislative bodies to hear the voices of concerned citizens. Lucia also stated that the organization works to create coalitions across the state.
“Moms Clean Air Force is part of the West Virginia Climate Alliance which is a coalition of environmental groups and social justice groups that meet and brainstorm how to elevate the movement,” she explained. She acknowledged the state’s dire situation and that of West Virginia, as well as surrounding states, which are heavily industrialized. Lucia and fellow members hope to combat the current situation by “advocating for the embracement of clean energy solutions as we transition to an economy that prioritizes children’s health and equity across communities.”
Currently, one of the main projects for Moms Clean Air Force is the work they are doing transitioning West Virginia’s transportation sector away from the heavy use of fossil fuels. One of these ideas is the introduction of electric school buses, which will ensure that children have cleaner air. Lucia gave some good news on this front, informing the audience that, “Green Power Motors is coming to Kanawha County in Charleston to help start manufacturing some electric buses.”
As she closed her portion of the panel discussion Lucia also wanted people to understand that you don’t have to be a mother to be a part of the organization. Instead, the importance was placed on the desire and ability to be part of a group that is like-minded and who want to work from a grassroots perspective in order to ensure a better airspace for the next generation.
Mark Tabbert, West Virginia’s Coordinator of Citizens Climate Lobby was our last speaker. The organization provides individuals with the opportunity to exercise their personal and/or political power to ensure a living future. Mark began by stating, “Climate change is the biggest problem humankind has ever faced.” He continued, citing a conversation with a scientist he had who had once said, “the most important thing in your life will be that we are burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon into the atmosphere; it will be more important than what you major in, where you graduated from, or who you’re married to.”
Citizens Climate Lobby, an advocacy group that aims to put a price tag on carbon, shares this sentiment. The group believes that a carbon tax would force the world into a shift in its energy consumption patterns and encourage people to use more sustainable, cleaner forms of energy. The policy would also protect the middle and lower classes, who are often the first to feel changes in the global economy.
Mark also wanted to invite the community to join him in setting up a local chapter for Buckhannon, West Virginia, with LeeAnn Brown.
The earth is our home. We have no other options. As we push ahead, we must continue to be good stewards for the planet that is our home. This means taking control of the climate and advocating for a reduction in human-made changes. It was clear from the powerful messages that the speakers delivered that there are many options for how individuals can work together to create a powerful influence in their local communities, the federal governments, and eventually the entire world.
We all have a responsibility towards the future generations and this planet to make sure that our environment is sustainable. These useful links will help you find out more about any of these organizations or subjects:
Tyler Hall, a Buckhannon resident, is passionate about music, gaming and literature.
