( – promoted by lowkell)
Last evening, dozens of activists and concerned citizens attended a Climate Legacy Town Hall meeting in Old Town Alexandria. This event is part of a nationwide effort to accept President Obama’s invitation for a national conversation about climate.
Hosted by the Sierra Club and Environment Virginia, the town hall featured a presentation by renowned clean energy expert, Dr. Willett Kempton, from the University of Delaware. Dr. Kempton discussed his new study that shows how a mix of renewable energy sources together can be the key to transitioning the region toward a clean energy future. The study focused on the PJM electricity grid that powers all or part of 13 states including Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. It models scenarios where a mix of renewable energy sources like wind and solar can be used along with energy storage systems to reliably meet large energy demands without relying heavily on fossil fuels.
“Today’s event shows the continued momentum behind our call for clean energy and climate action,” said Phillip Ellis, Beyond Coal Virginia Coordinator with the Sierra Club. “In February thousands of Virginians traveled to Washington, DC to call for the President to move ‘Forward on Climate’ and now many have come to hear more about how we can transition to a clean energy future here in the Mid-Atlantic.”
In President Obama’s State of the Union address, he spoke about the urgent need to address climate change and meet our obligation to future generations to take bold action before it is too late.
“If we are to create a climate legacy, then now is the time to invest in energy efficiency, wind and solar,” said Ivy Main, Renewable Energy Chair for the Virginia Sierra Club Chapter. “Dr. Kempton’s new study shows how powering the grid without a lot of fossil fuels is not only achievable, but practical.”
The Sierra Club and Environment Virginia called on President Obama to move forward on climate by finalizing standards to cut carbon pollution from new power plants and to continue developing standards that cut carbon pollution from existing sources. Attendees of the Climate Legacy Town Hall event were invited to write letters to President Obama telling him why they are personally concerned about climate disruption and to urge the President to take climate action now.
“The majority of Americans agree that climate change is a problem that is happening right before our eyes and want our leaders to address the root causes of climate change – namely limiting industrial carbon pollution,” said Sarah Bucci, Field Organizer with Environment Virginia.
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