Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - Demo - (Page 15)

for Jackie Ball, legislative assistant to Senator James Webb from my home state of Virginia, to emerge. When it was time for the meeting to begin, leaders of school environmental groups from all over Virginia spoke. Again, we presented the 1 Sky Campaign and asked if we could count on Senator Webb’s support for it. From talking with Ms. Ball, it seemed as though Senator Webb would support the standards included in the platform. We were fired up as we headed to the rally. The Ripple Effect As I walked down the hill to the lawn in front of the Capitol building, I could see the vast expanse of people covering the space in front of the large stage. They were carrying signs: NO NEW COAL, GREEN JOBS, and BRING 35MPG TO THE MOTOR CITY. One of the speakers began chanting into the microphone, “Climate action now!” and the crowd joined in. There was music, chanting, cheering, and dancing as news crews filmed and interviewed participants. When we saw people streaming out of the Capitol building to see what all the commotion was about, we knew our voices were being heard. I spent the rest of the afternoon racing around Capitol Hill with other Virginia students lobbying representatives and senators. Our suggestions for the energy bill weren’t always well received. For example, we spoke with one representative who seemed to agree with us on the issues. But then he said that although the goals we had were admirable, it would be nearly impossible to reach them because of such factors as the auto industry’s desire for big profit and government bureaucracy. It became apparent to me then that doing what is right isn’t always the deciding factor for lawmakers. Sometimes it seems like no one person can make any real difference—no one vote is going to tip an election, no one person can change the world. But when I thought about the rally that day, I realized that one person can easily inspire five people, each of whom can in turn inspire five more. Soon enough, thousands of people could be fighting for a cause and affecting the passage of a bill or the election of a candidate. A Shift in Awareness As a generation, as a people, as inhabitants of Earth, we have a responsibility to preserve our planet for ourselves and for others. There are things happening right now that run counter to this duty. For example, mountain top removal is the clearing of forests and the use of dynamite to blow away part of the mountain and expose the coal March/April 2008 underneath. Though profitable, this is terribly damaging to the mountain’s ecosystem, as well as the surrounding mining communities and towns. The process does not employ many people, but it does require the use of toxic chemicals and carcinogens that contaminate the air people breathe and the water they drink. The coal dug up in this process is also a major pollutant: burning coal results in smog and soot, and the process results in sludge and more toxic chemicals. Additionally, low fuelefficiency standards make it easy for auto companies to build and market cars like the Hummer H2 that get very few miles per gallon of gas, producing more pollution in a shorter amount of time. The climate change problem may seem like a dire situation, and in a lot of ways it is. But Power Shift taught me that although things may seem very bad, that’s no reason to give up hope. About a month after the conference, I was seeing Power Shift referenced everywhere—blogs, magazines, television, radio, and even in conversation. What took place during those few days had made a huge impact—a massive wave of consciousness stemming from actions taken by youth. We had accomplished one goal: to raise awareness not only while we were there, but for months afterwards. That, I realized, is what success means: not just making a difference with what you did at the time, but having that ripple out to inspire others and make a difference in the world long afterward. i Lisa Hebert is a ninth grader at The Madeira School in Virginia. She is a Model UN team member, writes for the newspaper and literary magazine, and plays the flute and clarinet in the school chamber orchestra. Lisa has been a winner at the Parkmont Poetry Festival and has achieved Summa Cum Laude in the National Latin Exam. A team member in the Global Challenge International science competition, Lisa is also a two-time winner of a CTY-awarded one-course scholarship to George Washington University. Students rally on the front lawn of the Capitol building. For more information, go to www.powershift2007.org imagine 15 http://www.powershift2007.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - Demo

Imagine Magazine - March/April 2008 Contents Letters Big Problems Big Picture In My Own Words Putting E-Waste in Its Place Big Juice Making Waves What Does "Green" Mean? Into the Woods Swimming with Whale Sharks Crash Course in Costa Rica Selected Opportunities & Resources Hooked on Logistics Off the Shelf Word Wise Middle Ground One Step Ahead Exploring Career Options Planning Ahead for College Students Review Creative Minds Imagine Sudoku Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - Demo

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