The Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group hosted a rally and march in continuation of its Big Red Go Green global warming campaign Friday. The rally began at Library Mall and ended with a march to the Capitol to support green solutions.
The goal of the program is to get both politicians and ordinary citizens to realize the importance of environmental issues. The march was also intended to build awareness of the Climate Summit in December, The American Clean Energy and Security Act and climate change in general.
According to Niels Ole Holck, member of the climate movement in Denmark and organizer of the event, the negative consequences of global warming are overwhelming, with underdeveloped countries taking the biggest hit.
Ole Holck cited a lack of clean drinking water, a depleted ozone layer and reliance on fossil fuels as problems demanding attention.
WISPIRG emphasized that ""business as usual"" or apathy is not the route to take, especially as politicians continue to be hesitant to pass legislation that will have lasting changes on the environment.
Supporters chanted ""no more pollution, we have a solution"" as they marched up State Street toward the Capitol. Several onlookers joined the march alongside WISPIRG members, UW students and other citizens.
""There are many important issues today like health care and the economy, but this is something that still cannot be simply forgotten,"" supporter and graduate student Nathan Pinney said.
Diane Farsetta, the Carbon Free Nuclear Free Campaign coordinator of Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice and one of the final speakers, urged everyone to keep involved and stay aware of the politics and legislation being discussed.
Farsetta said environmental issues will be topics for debate in the coming months. Farsetta also announced there will be another march next spring, and anyone interested can get involved in organizing now.
