This post was written by Minnesota Student Network member Casey Wojtalewicz about his meeting with Senator Klobuchar during this summer recess. 

Yesterday, I and 6 other Minnesotans met at Amy Klobuchar’s Minneapolis office to seek her support for a pledge against any bill revoking the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate CO2 emissions and/or offering more massive subsidies to the coal industry. Across the country, hundreds of other citizens like us have been taking advantage of the Congressional recess to contact their elected officials at home and push them to take strong stances on the side of the environment, health, jobs, and innovation.

Senator Klobuchar herself was unable to meet with us due to other events in the state, however, we had a great session with her Outreach Director and environmental advisor (among other issues), Kelly Scanlan. Kelly heard our stories and concerns, and she agreed with our views on most everything. Senator Klobuchar’s “bottom line” approach to energy is that we need to reduce emissions. Unfortunately, because the Senator was not present, we could not get a pledge that she would go on the record to state her opposition to more coal subsidies and an end to EPA regulation of CO2. We persisted in asking for such a pledge, but Kelly could not speak for the Senator. She also stated that Senator Klobuchar is awaiting a draft of the Senate energy bill before making any public statements. For these issues in particular, Kelly said, Senator Klobuchar will first have to ascertain they are areas of concern in the bill.

Overall, we left the meeting with an understanding that Senator Klobuchar is on our side for these issues. We made it clear to Kelly that we will continue to stand up for these issues, and we expect Senator Klobuchar to do the same. On such an important issue, we cannot stand for soft-spoken leadership or watered down bills. A line has been drawn, and it is time for our elected officials to hold it.

{Posted by Jeff Gustafson, Campus Progress Action Grantee and SustainUS delegate to Pland}

 Of the many symbols of American culture, perhaps none is as iconic or sacred as the National Mall. The Mall is hallowed ground, the monumental core of the capital city. Stretching from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall is truly the "people's park." This is where millions of Americans have come to rally, protest, and recreate; where powerful words were uttered that changed the nation's course forever; where the past and future collide and the "stage of our democracy" is set. Today, over 25-million people visit the National Mall every year - more than any other National Park.

Walking from museum to museum or monument to monument, it's easy to overlook one the most ubiquitous elements of the National Mall experience: trashcans.

Yesterday, after attending a couple of hearings on the hill regarding genocide and mass atrocities in Africa, I happened upon a Climate Crisis Action Day rally in front of the Capitol building to support the permanent protection of areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by taking action to stop the effects of global warming.  A variety of representatives from both the House and Senate gave compelling speeches to support initiatives that would end the climate crisis we currently find ourselves in.  As I was leaving the area of the rally there was an older gentleman selling shirts, bumper stickers, and buttons with slogans like “America Needs Al Gore 2008”.  I, after pulling out the entire contents of my briefcase in my search for a dollar, bought one of his buttons, hoping that my dollar would be the one that would push Mr. Gore over the edge, forcing him to throw his hat into the next presidential race.