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SiGBA sends student leader to Washington, D.C.

From Feb. 27 to March 1, 12,000 young leaders from all 50 states, every Canadian province and about a dozen foreign countries convened at the Washington D.C. Convention Center for “Power Shift 2009.” It became the largest ever gathering of climate and clean energy activists in U.S. history. The Sierra Green Building Association (SiGBA) made sure a local representative was there. Judson Diehl, a student at Sierra College-Tahoe Truckee and resident of Reno, Nev., attended this record-breaking Power Shift Conference to learn about the effects of coal power, research alternative energy sources, learn about community organization and network with other green advocates from around the region and the country.

Chosen out a pool of local young advocates and student leaders, Judson attended conference workshops, networked and lobbied Congress to support legislation focused on climate change and sustainable energy. The conference also headlined speeches by Van Jones, the founder of Green For All, Robert F Kennedy, Jr., Rep. Edward Markey, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and a long list of executive directors, mayors, and advocates calling for community action to solve the climate change issue. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.powershft09.org.

In addition, on Monday, March 2, despite a blustery snow storm which threatened to shut down most of the city, Judson was in contact with Senator Boxer’s office about his attendance and his SiGBA sponsored project. Judson has a few different ideas for local businesses and government agencies to tackle climate change and alternative energy on a local level.



SiGBA hopes to empower Judson to advocate for clean energy alternatives and look for ways to create jobs on a local level. The potential projects, if approved, could create local jobs and help give a local student leader real time experience. Alternative energy sources could create about 60 percent more jobs than coal power. A recent Stanford study also touted alternative energy “would also reduce costs due to health care, crop damage and climate damage from current vehicle and electric power pollution, as well as provide the world with a truly unlimited supply of clean power.”

Visit SiGBA and Judson at Earth Day at The Village at Squaw Valley, April 18, 2009. For more information, visit sigba.org/education or e-mail John Arsenault, SiGBA Education Director at Arsenault@sigba.org.


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