Welcome Back Spartans!
The MSU Beyond Coal campaign is back on campus and in full force! Just in the time we have been back on campus we have gotten close to 1,800 new petitions signed! THAT’S CRAZY!
Let’s start with some facts:
- Michigan State University hosts’ the nation’s largest on campus coal plant.
- Coal is single-handedly the most destructive industrial process being employed in the US. From mining to burning to disposing of the coal ash, coal is dirty, dangerous, and outdated.
- On average we burn around 250,000 tons of coal every year.
- That means a little more than 600 tons a day.
- To give you a visual, that is about the weight of 125,000 average sized cars.
This is where our campaign comes in! We have been working almost non-stop since we got back on campus to get a commitment from the administration for a 100% clean energy future. Even though the administration did their best to ignore us last year, we are disappointed but far from defeated. Last fall, a committee was formed to flesh out a plan for MSUs’ energy future. Unfortunately, no strong decisions have been made.
This is why we are still fighting, because there is no reason MSU shouldn’t be guaranteed a 100% CLEAN energy future. Not a future that is a 100 years down the road, not 40 years, but a future that starts NOW.
Our campaign is being watched all over the country. Just in the last week, 5 coal fired power plants in the heart of coal country have announced that they will be closing their doors as a direct result of national beyond coal campaigns.
Think about this: If we here at Michigan State can continue the good fight and close the nation’s largest on campus coal plant what excuse would there be for any other hold outs of America’s dirty energy past?
This is why we need you! The administration has shown us already that having 1 out of every 10 student’s signature is not enough to convince them it’s time to make a commitment. Everyone can make a difference, no matter what kind of time you can give. This semester is going to be HUGE and we need your help!
Our Kick Off Meeting is Tuesday September 27th, at 7:00 PM in 105 South Kedzie Hall. Just in case you need even more incentives to come out, and bring everyone you know, we’ll have free chipotle! So get there early, and get ready to be a part of one of our generations’ most important fights.
Want more info RIGHT NOW? Check us out in the main lounge of the union every day at 10, 2:30 or 5:00, or check us out on Facebook and Twitter!
-Mollie VanOrsdal
MSU Beyond Coal 