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TUESDAY APRIL 29th 2008
Thousands of Citizens to Candidates “We have the Power2Change”
Campaign Shows that New Mexicans Want Candidates to Lead on Clean Energy Issues
Albuquerque, NM – At the culmination of Sierra Club’s Power2Change campaign, Sierra Club New Mexico today announced that 5,329 citizens have added their voices to the call for candidates up and down the ballot in New Mexico to make the right choices and pledge to support local, state, and federal policies that will create a new energy future for America. Part of a national effort focused in nine states, the Power2Change collected over 50,000 signatures nationwide in the past month and educated voters about the choice we face in 2008 as well as the contrasts between competing visions of our energy future.
Beginning with the release of the Power2Change report in March, which highlighted examples of clean energy leaders and backwards thinking polluters from across the country, volunteers and organizers in each of the nine states gathered petition signatures, handed out energy efficient CFL light bulbs, organized educational events, and highlighted clean energy champions by touring those facilities with reporters. Across the country, the Power2Change campaign generated extraordinary public demand for clean energy options and called for elected officials to commit to moving a clean energy agenda locally and nationally. The program was based in New Mexico, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia and New Hampshire.
“Our leaders at the state and federal level will determine whether we move towards a clean energy economy or stay stuck in the policies of the past,” said Michael B. Casaus of the Sierra Club. “We’re urging all of our candidates, including the Presidential candidates, to make clean energy a priority.”
Last week, Sierra Club New Mexico joined with thousands of New Mexicans in celebration of Earth Week where our volunteers handed out 3,000 free CFL light bulbs, gathered over 1,500 petition signatures and talked to New Mexicans about how we have the technology, know-how and power to build a clean energy future, but what we have lacked is the political will. Overall, the overwhelming response was that New Mexicans are ready to move to a clean energy economy -- and we call on our leaders to listen.
“We are reminding all the candidates that the choices we make in the next year will define our future. We can move forward to a new energy economy that creates jobs, saves consumers money and solves global warming or we can say stuck in the polluting energy policies of the past,” said Michael B. Casaus. “We urge them to make the right choice, and pledge to support state and federal policies that will create a new energy future for America.”
To see photos, videos, quotes, and other highlights from Power 2 Change, please visit www.sierraclub.org/power2change.
