Greens get out the vote

Author: Derek Matus

The Sunday Night Group (SNG) is sponsoring the national initiative Power Vote in hopes of spreading environmental awareness as we approach the 2008 elections, joing an effort which has already sprung up at dozens of campuses around the country. SNG hopes that the initiative's message makes an impression on the student body in the upcoming weeks.

The Energy Action Coalition, a collection of social activism and justice groups with like-minded environmental concerns, established Power Vote to bolster its green political platform. Power Vote's mission is to generate awareness for the environment and environmentally safe energy among young voters in November. Its method is an online petition which affirms "I pledge to make clean, just energy a top priority in my vote this election." The petition relies on the circulation and publicity created by local groups of young people in communities and on college campuses. By setting the ultimate goal of 1,000,000 signatures, the effort hopes to create at least a wave of environmental sentiment in this historic election.

The SNG hopes to contribute a significant chunk of those signatures to the national total.

"We're hoping to get 1000 signatures, which would be awesome," said Ben Wessel '11, President of SNG, "seeing as that is such a large part of the student body."

The fact that this initiative is specifically targeted at the young voter legitimizes the growing influence of this demographic. According to the Power Vote website, the millennial generation, ages 18-34, now comprises a quarter of the entire American voting population. This influence was seen during the last presidential election in 2004 when a similarly youth-based initiative called Rock the Vote mobilized an army of new voters through the music industry and celebrity endorsements. Even during the primary season this year, the youth vote was instrumental in securing the outcome; newcomer and Senator Barack Obama only slightly edged out the early favorite, Senator Hilary Clinton, for the nomination. Obama's victories, especially the kick-off election in Iowa, are ascribed to the support of young people, who pundits said connected more with the young senator than his senior counterpart. In the general election this fall, the youth contingent will likely hold a significant influence over the outcome.

Like Rock the Vote, Power Vote is a non-partisan venture. For some, this may seem a contradiction, given the historical tendency of the Democratic Party toward environmental protection. This election, however, has witnessed both presidential candidates stressing environmental issues, albeit with differing views. The Republican candidate, Senator John McCain, a staunch advocate of the environment compared to the conservative base, has voiced concern about climate change and the environmental effects of foreign oil. On the other hand, Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama, who served as a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the 109th Congress, has also shown regard for global warming and the energy crisis, pledging to reduce greenhouse gases and promote alternative energies if elected.

Co-President of the College Democrats Will Bellaimey '10 appreciates bipartisan efforts for environmental action.

"I look forward to the day when climate change is treated with equal urgency by politicians on both sides of the aisle," he said. Bellaimey believes, however, that in regard to picking the candidate with the better environmental policy, "the choice couldn't be clearer. I hope [Power Vote] will push millions of people to take environmental issues seriously this November. If they do, Barack Obama will be elected in a landslide."

Heather Pangle '10, President of the College Republicans, declined to comment. Instead of entering the partisan debate, however, Power Vote seeks to improve the visibility of the environmental issue with positive attention.

Not all students are as environmentally avid as the SNG. First-time voter Tyler Norris '12 said, "Yeah the environment is important, but I don't think it's the most important thing. I'm still more concerned with Iraq and Afghanistan, now the economy and even poverty than I am with the environment which isn't that urgent." Norris' comments are not isolated from her peers; many fellow young voters share similar thoughts that there are more pressing matters for the average American voter.

Nevertheless, Vote Smart and the SNG will circulate the petition at Middlebury to publicize environmental issues and voting on campus. The Power Vote subgroup will hold meetings after SNG meetings Sunday at 9 p.m. in the Grand Salon of Le Chateau. The SNG will officially launch the Power Vote initiative in campus dining halls Oct. 7 by selling green t-shirts to raise money. The SNG also plans to host a "green" party in the Bunker Oct. 25 with the help of a local band in anticipation of the general election on Nov. 4.

"Middlebury Power Vote will hopefully show that Middlebury students are some of the most engaged students in the country concerning climate and environmental issues," said Wessel.