Power Vote promotes environmental concern

Sara Srick/Star photo

Texas State has joined campuses across the nation to bring environmental issues to the forefront of the 2008 presidential election.

The Texas State chapter of the National Association of Environmental Professionals united with Power Vote to have voters pledge their support for “clean and just energy.”

Power Vote is a nonpartisan effort working to organize one million voters nationwide in support of their green petition. The platform includes creating more green jobs, ending America’s dependence on “dirty energy and taking dirty money out of politics.”

Supporters are asked to sign a pledge stating they support green legislation. Power Vote aims to get one million pledges nationwide by Nov. 4. The pledge forms will then be hand delivered to Washington, D.C.

“It’s kind of like lobbying,” said Cameron Howitt, National Association of Environmental Professionals member. “But rather than using money, we use the names of all these people.”

Power Vote members say they are not interested in who becomes president but in what the next president will do to secure green jobs and new legislature for the future.

“We don’t support Obama or McCain, Ron Paul or anyone,” Howitt said. “We’re nonpartisan about it. Whoever gets elected, we want them to know that one million people want this changed.”

McCain’s and Obama’s Web sites list their stances on environmental issues, but it is unclear what will be accomplished. Nandhini Rangarajan, assistant professor in the political science department, said she believes it is impossible to know what a candidate will do once in office.

“You just cannot tell,” Rangarajan said. “There are so many components to it that nothing is for sure. There are so many ways it could go.”

Dan Cannon, field organizer for Power Vote, said they hope to get support from a wide variety of American voters, but the focus has been on students and young adults because of their perceived power as a voting demographic.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, millennial voters — 18 to 29-years-olds — total 41.9 million and account for roughly 25 percent of voters. Cannon said the millennial group will be important in future elections.

“In just a few years this group, ages 18 to 29, will be the most powerful voting block in America,” Cannon said. “We want to get them involved now, because they are the future, and they will have the power to change things.”

Power Vote has taken their campaign to social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.

“It’s about getting people interested,” said Jillian Marullo, Texas State Power Vote leader. “If you’re not interested in foreign policy or the economy, (then) vote because of the environmental issues, period. Just vote.”

Power Vote’s Web site posts updates on nationwide events and new information to keep people informed.

“This will help people,” Marullo said. “On the Web site you can see the track record of (the candidates). It will help people be more informed about the candidates and what they voted ‘yes and no’ on in regards to environmental issues and will help (voters) make an educated decision in the election.”

Marullo said they look for more help in spreading the word.

“The easiest thing to do is go in the beginning of your class. Take two or three minutes, say a little bit about it, and hand (the pledge cards) out. Depending on your class you could get 40 right there, or 500 even,” Marullo said.

Several hundred signed their support for the movement. Marullo said they are aiming for 1,000 by the end of the week and 2,000 by the end of October.

An open meeting for the National Association of Environmental Professionals will be held Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Evans Liberal Arts Building, room 229. Visit Powervote.org for more information, or to sign a pledge.