By Jacob Crawford
Western New England University’s newest club is the Sunrise Movement! This campus organization is aimed at fighting climate change through progressive policies such as the Green New Deal, as well as making our campus a more environmentally friendly space. The Sunrise Movement plans to coordinate protests, phonebanks, and trainings with other hubs throughout Western Massachusetts in order to make as much of an impact as possible.
The goal of the Western New England Sunrise chapter is to make our student body more environmentally conscious, reduce our campus’s carbon footprint, and to protest and pressure politicians to pass bold, progressive climate legislation. Central to the Sunrise Movement’s mission is the passing of the Green New Deal. Passing this bill would ensure that America gets to net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2030, give healthcare to every American, guarantee green jobs to all that want and need them, and overhaul America’s transportation, infrastructure and agricultural systems.
At first glance, these might sound like extreme measures, but the Sunrise Movement believes that they are necessary steps to do in order to secure a future for our kids and grandkids. It is important to note that these policies are popular, and that it is the politicians who are out of step with everyday people and their needs.
Endorsing and supporting progressive candidates through primary and general elections, as well as holding protests in support of climate policy, is how the Sunrise Movement plans to enact change on campus and across the country.
