Environmental+Justice+March+Retreat

Traveling in two groups, we went to three schools over the course of the day: to Little Village High School, Senn High School, and North Lawndale College Prep. The dialogue format we followed is pasted below. At each school, we invited students to join in planning a Chicago Youth Against Global Warming event this spring, and to sign our petition. We then brought the petitions, signed by Parker students as well as the students at the schools we visited, and people on the street (all together about 700 signatures), to City Hall, where we talked with the Mayor's Press Secretary. He promptly informed us of the Mayor's strategies for greening Chicago, including promoting bicycles and recycling. He had no comment about the coal power plant issue, except to urge us to use bikes. He also suggested that we contact the Director of Environment. When we did so, he said that the city had no jurisdiction over the power plants (which we know isn't exactly true) but when pressed he said they meet monthly with the power plants (?!) to discuss greening -- eg planting trees and grass. After our little debate with the city's PR folk, we headed off to ice skate in Millenium Park. Chicago Youth Dialogue on Global Warming This group has gathered together out of concern for the environment, and to challenge the reluctance of lawmakers to take action that will protect the earth for future generations. // (Please read over fact sheets on global warming and environmental justice) // Divide into small groups of 4-6. Please introduce yourself to the other people in your group, then discuss the following questions. After 15 minutes, you will re-gather in the large group. In your discussion groups, it is important that everyone take responsibility for the dialogue, by making sure all voices are heard, and making your comments real and to the point. *What concerns you most about global warming? *What kind of sacrifices and efforts do people need to make to stop global warming? What are //you// willing to do? *What connections do you see between the local issue of environmental justice and the global issue of global warming? *Why do you think elected officials aren’t doing more to address global warming? *What do you think policy makers need to hear from your generation to start taking more immediate action on global warming? Over the course of this year, Francis Parker and Rudy Lozano students have been learning about pollution, especially the effects of coal power pollution on Chicagoans, such as asthma epidemics, mercury poisoning, and increased cancer rates. At this point, we feel that we need to continue learning more, but also to take action! We are thinking about an after-school Earth Day rally at one of the power plants, to demand that the city force the power plants to install scrubbers that would greatly reduce the deaths and illnesses caused by coal power pollution. What ideas do you have for us in planning this rally? Questions we need help with: *Should the rally be held at the power plant, at City Hall, or where? *How do we get students from all over Chicago to come? *What should happen at the rally, to make it both fun and effective? *Are any of you interested in working with us to take action? //(Pass around sign-ups)//
 * Introduction: **
 * Dialogue format: **
 * Return to the large group: **

// Please sign the petition! We’ll be going to deliver petitions at City Hall in the afternoon. //