Eight Worcester State University students took part in the Forward on Climate Rally [1] in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, February 17.
Geography [2] and natural science [3] majors Katie Rozenas, Kyla Palubinskas, Greg Gorski, Tim Fullen, Ron Salmonson, Sean Wadden, Austin Canty, and Dominique Seles were among the estimated 40,000 people who rallied at the Washington Monument and marched to the White House to demand that President Obama take positive action on climate change.
The key demand was for the President to deny the fossil fuel industry a permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline would carry tar sands from Alberta, Canada, to refineries on the United States Gulf Coast. Tar sands extraction and transport has multiple toxic impacts. In addition, NASA climatologist James Hansen has said that exploiting the tar sands will mean “game over” for a livable climate.
The students want the United States to invest in renewable energy for a sustainable future.