And They Say Young Texans Don't Care!?!?!?

Re-Energize Texas Summit Summary - Let's Make Climate Change a Pivotal Issue for 2008

Re-Energize Texas Summit

This past Friday, February 8th through Sunday, February 10th of 2008, student activists concerned about the approaching effects of manmade global warming from across the state of Texas gathered together to learn and strategize at the University of Texas at Austin.  The estimated 225 attendees of the Re-Energize Texas Summit were engaged in training programs and information sessions throughout the weekend, and attended speeches made by an array of concerned citizens. From city mayors to religious leaders of both eastern and western philosophies, the keynote series provided students a variety of perspectives and opinions on the failed system that has led to our current climate crisis and the many other exploitive foreign and domestic policies America has been pursuing.

With support from progressive organizations like Public Citizen and the National Wildlife Federation, members of the UT club, the Campus Environmental Center, were successful in creating an educational and inspirational event for grassroots change.  Now armed with knowledge and motivation, these young Texans are returning to their respective campuses ready to form a grassroots movement based upon empirical fact and democratic participation.

The speakers featured were:

Dr. Camille Parmesan, professor UT - Austin, author and reviewer of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Gary Hirshberg, President and CE-YO, Stonyfield Farms Inc

Mayor Will Wynn, Mayor of Austin, 2007 Austinite of the year, key member of the U.S. Mayors Council on Climate Protection

Rev. Lennox Yearwood, a minister, freedom fighter, hip-hop connoisseur, peace and community activist, and CEO Hip-Hop Caucus

Br. ChiSing, an ordained disciple of Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, spiritual director of Interfaith Mindfulness Ministries in Dallas, Texas

Peter Illyn, Founder and Executive Director of Restoring Eden: Christians for Environmental Stewardship

Jim Hightower, National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author

Ted Glick, coordinator of the U.S. Climate Emergency Council, 1Sky

Tom ‘Smitty’ Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas division

Rick Noriega and Ray McMurrey (video interviews - will be posted soon)