UW-Madison students lead a Midwest energy summit

If America is “addicted to oil,” then the Midwest Student Energy Conference just might be part one of America’s 12-step program.

The conference will bring students and organizations together from across the Midwest to discuss global warming and clean energy solutions. The three-day conference will be held at the UW–Madison Memorial Union, March 3-5.

“People can see the effects of global warming starting to take effect,” said Chris Moberg, co-chair of the Sierra Student Coalition. “People are realizing that just because the stuff coming out of a smoke stack isn’t pitch black doesn’t mean it is harmless or inert in our environment.”

The conference is sponsored by several groups, including the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGS), Energy Action, Global Exchange, Apollo Alliance and the Sierra Student Coalition. Organizers are expecting between 200 to 300 student attendees from UW System schools, Minnesota and other colleges.

The conference begins Friday at 3 p.m. – see “Today in the Union” listings for the room – with a keynote address and networking opportunities. The entire weekend will provide students a chance to network with students from other states, in an effort to spread intellectual capital from one campus to another.

“We aren’t just passing along information, but rather we are seeking to truly involve students in a regional movement,” Moberg says. “There is no point in running this conference if it does not result in reducing our reliance on dirty and inefficient energy.”

Workshops on Saturday and Sunday will cover clean energy, environmental justice and global climate change, energy policy, the role of labor unions and health. There will also be “tool sessions” that emphasize grassroots outreach, Internet advocacy, non-violent action and event planning.

The conference will also feature the Campus Climate Challenge, a national campaign run by the Energy Action Coalition. The campaign is building a community of students from numerous campuses and engaging them in efforts to stop global warming.

For more information on the Midwest Student Clean Energy Conference, including registration and a full agenda, go to http://www.energyaction.net/midwest.