Wellesley women sleep out for sustainability

On Saturday, Oct. 23, nine Wellesley students joined fellow student climate activists from around the state of Massachusetts at Institute Park in Worcester.  Bundled up in hats and scarves and huddled together against a cold drizzle and temperatures in the low 30's, the students sat together with 70 other high school and college students and sang "I Ain't Gonna Change the Climate No More" (a play on the old anti-war song) as they prepared to "sleep-out" against climate change.  

Students for a Just and Stable Future (SJSF) sponsored this demonstration.  SJFS is a coalition of student activist organizations in schools throughout Massachusetts, that advocates 100 percent clean electricity in the state by 2020 and an end to the burning of coal in the state by 2015.  In the upcoming legislative session, the organization will introduce two bills into the state legislature that would accomplish these objectives.  

The demonstration began on the Worcester Town Common in the early afternoon.  Students spent the afternoon engaging in team-building activities and trainings in order to foster their leadership skills and build a sense of community among this broad network of student activists.  At 5 p.m., students rallied in the center of the park, carrying signs and chanting for "Clean Electricity Now!" Students heard speeches from activists, community organizers, politicians, and artists working against climate change.   Ted McIntyre, President of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, stressed the importance of taking immediate action to end climate change and congratulated the organizing efforts of the  young group of activists.

After marching nearly a mile to Institute Park, students erected a small "tent city," adorning their tents with signs proclaiming "There Is No Planet B!" and urging "Clean Electricity by 2020!"  

At the park, students heard from more speakers, representing political and religious perspectives on the imperative of taking action against climate change.  Speakers urged both top-level political involvement and grassroots social action to accomplish the organization's goals.

SJSF organizer April Bello '14 said that the speeches were inspirational, and that many students felt challenged and motivated by the speakers.

Though temperatures fell into the low 30s, the students' spirits did not seem to waver as they talked and sang late into the night.  In the morning, many of the participants attended the Massachusetts Climate Action Network Annual Conference in order to connect their work to the broader world of climate action in Massachusetts, and to learn from their older counterparts.

SJFS has organized many such sleep-outs since it was founded in 2007, aiming to raise awareness about unclean electricity—such as that which produces greenhouse gases—by refusing to sleep in their dorms, which are powered by it.  These events also serve as a means to gather support from the community at large and to build strength within this coalition of activists through group bonding activities.

For Elli Blaine'13, the sleep-out was a new experience.

"I really didn't know what  exactly to expect. I was blown away by the number of students that came, and the amount of enthusiasm everyone had for the rally and sleep-out," she said. Blaine affirmed that she would attend the next sleep-out.   

Sleep-outs are by no means the only activities of SJSF.  With 26 chapters in schools throughout Massachusetts, SJSF works to promote action and engagement on campus, to link on-campus activism between schools throughout the statewide network, and to promote broad, unified action for clean electricity. SJSF engages in lobbying, phone-banking, petitioning, and rallying in order to promote its political campaigns.  It also works on outreach and training to facilitate broader student involvement in the climate action movement.  

This week is Wellesley SJSF's  Week of Action against coal.  Throughout the week, students will engage the campus in phone-banking in support of SJSF's bill to ban coal in Massachusetts by 2015.  

This past Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Pendleton West, SJSF screened the film "Dirty Business," followed by a discussion panel with representatives from the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Conservation Law Foundation.  These activities aim to raise awareness about the dangers of coal, both in mining and combustion, and to build student support and action for an energy future free from coal.

SJSF aims to bring activism to the College campus and to engage students in environmental action.  "Climate change is the issue of our time. The more I learn about climate change, the more I feel a sense of urgency about it," SJSF organizer Maia Fitzstevens '13 said.  "As soon as I learned about SJSF, I knew it was the best way for me to make a difference in the world."  

SJSF's members report being inspired and empowered to take action against climate change, and they hope to motivate others to do the same.

"The sleep-out reminded me that I can truly make a difference through SJSF," Bello said.