Earth Equity News

Combating the Fossil Fuel Industry with Political Will. Speech by Steve Valk, USC Daily Gamecock, 4/3/11. “It's been a while since I graduated from USC. When I left, Jimmy Carter had just been elected president and Elvis was still shaking his then-considerable hips on stages across America. I return this evening on a mission -- to help citizens discover their voice and the power they have to make a difference, particularly when it comes to enacting policies that will keep the Earth livable for future generations… We're on track to leave an unmanageable mess for those future generations and they're going to be plenty aggravated that we didn't do something about it when we had the chance. What's stopping us? Why aren't we making the transition to clean energy that will produce millions of new jobs, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and lower the risks of climate change?...

“It comes down to political will, and the fossil fuel industry buys as much of that as it needs, beginning with think tanks that confuse the public into believing the science on climate change isn't settled. Add to that millions of dollars in campaign contributions to members of Congress and limitless TV advertising from coal and oil interests and it's little wonder that legislation to put a price on carbon has stalled in Washington. It starts with ordinary citizens sitting down with their members of Congress and having an honest discussion about the problem we're facing and the way to solve it. In a time of cynicism and animosity toward politics, we have to develop a relationship of respect and trust with lawmakers that gives them the courage to do the right thing. ” ~ The Daily Gamecock is the student newspaper at the University of South Carolina. Steve Valk, communications director of Citizens Climate Lobby, is a 1976 graduate of USC's College of Journalism. He lives in Atlanta.