Eager to make statewide and nationwide environmental change? Eager to work with other Brown students as well as students, young people, and organizations from throughout Rhode Island? Join RISCC – we are super eager to have new members!
Mission Statement
The Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition is a statewide alliance of students and youth working for a clean, safe, and just future for all. We work both on our campuses and within the community in Rhode Island, by building relationships between organizations and policymakers that are focused on building a sustainable and just economy with green jobs, clean air, land, and water, that transition our society away from dirty energy as well as social and environmental injustice. We empower each other so that we have a stake in our environmental future and are given a seat at the table.
History
The Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition (RISCC) was kicked off at the first Powershift Conference in Washington, DC — back in 2007 — after students from Brown University and the University of Rhode Island decided to collaborate to pursue a clean energy future. RISCC vigorously campaigned for Rhode Island’s first explicit carbon-reduction bill, the Global Warming Solutions Act. After taking a brief hiatus, RISCC has, once again, been engaging with the Rhode Island community over the last year.
2010’s Projects
- Lobbied for the Energy Independence and Climate Solutions Act Bill during the spring session of the Rhode Island legislature.
- Collaborated with Clean Water Action to organize a student lobby training in conjunction with the annual environmental lobby day at the State house hosted by the Environmental Council of RI (ECRI) that was attended by dozens of students from all over the state.
- Cultivated relationships with other environmental organizations and participated as an active member in ECRI to help facilitate connections between emPOWER and other environmental organizations in Rhode Island.
- Sent a delegation to the Carbon Pricing Conference at Wesleyan University that doubled as a space to coordinate future work with students from all across New England.
- Hosted a tree planting at Nathanael Greene Middle School and held a series of film screenings in coordination with the 350.org day of action.
- Hosted a discussion with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse about climate change mitigation and the role of students in the environmental movement.
2011’s Up-and-Coming Projects
- Actively lobby for environmental legislation that supports green jobs and mitigates the impacts of Climate Change in Rhode Island and once again host a lobby training and lobby day for students across Rhode Island.
- Pending receiving a grant – Administer an incoming grant that will allow us to collaborate with the Environmental Justice League in organizing community environmental events and give climate adaptation recommendations that benefit the community to the Rhode Island Climate Coalition.
- Bring over 50 students from Brown and around Rhode Island to attend Powershift 2011, a student organized environmental convention that will bring together 12,000+ students fighting for a clean future in Washington D.C. to attend workshops and coordinate nation wide student organizing to halt the impacts of climate change.
- Continue expanding RISCC to more Rhode Island colleges and high schools.
Why lobby politicians to address climate change?
- Because legislation has the power to create the massive change needed to stop climate change!
- Because our politicians need to know what constituents really want!
- Because climate change is already creating a more dangerous planet – and we can still prevent this disaster from escalating rapidly!
Contact
emPOWER’s branch of RISCC: brown-riscc (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
The wider RISCC community: risccteam (AT) googlegroups (DOT) com
