On November 24, Students for Environmental Action of GLADES at Florida International University brought a petition of 280 signatures to our administration asking for 100% renewable energy. Creating a petition to send to our administration motivated us to focus on launching our Seize the Grid Campaign. Once we dove into it, we realized that our ultimate goal was unclear. I had to think more about why we were starting this campaign at our university.
Our primary job is to influence political will through grassroots support behind renewable energy development. We also need to research solutions, learn how to be more effective leaders, and so much more in order to be knowledgeable, effective, and confident in our campaign.
Our group of eight delivering the petition walked into the Office of the President to see the administration’s Public Affairs Coordinator at the front desk. I stood by our group’s spokesperson, Gabby, as she explained to her what we had brought with us, a petition for the university to commit to reaching 100% renewable power. We wanted this petition, along with our letter, to be seen by the President and further, requested a meeting with the President or another member of the administration.
For now, we hope to receive a reply to our letter, and either way will move ahead with getting a meeting for next semester. We need to inform the administration why it is paramount for the university to adopt this commitment to renewable energy (in addition to its praiseworthy commitment to energy efficiency). And help to provide some solutions and actions the school can take that show renewable energy benefits the university and society. We are also working to spread awareness about the harms caused by production of energy from non-renewable sources and climate change, hopefully inspiring our community to bring ideas for solutions to the table.
Through the petition we met new people and gained team members who care and are invested. Forming more of these relationships with students and community members will be essential to our transition to 100% clean energy.
We invite you to join us. You can help by signing the national Seize the Grid petition to support campus administrations in asking the fossil fuel industry and utilities to help universities transition to 100% renewable energy. Share the petition with others, spread the word about what we and other universities and communities are doing, and join this important movement to transition to renewable energy and act on climate change.