Last week, CALPIRG students and partners recognized Earth Day by hosting the first-ever California Climate Action Summit. The event aimed to inspire young people to get involved in the fight for our healthy climate, and it was a huge success. More than 700 people attended sessions, panels, and speeches throughout the day, and students and attendees came away from the day ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
The day combined action with reflection. Students posted to social media and submitted more than 30 letters to the editor and opinion pieces to local papers around the state calling for a faster transition to a 100% renewable energy future for California. Some students even decided to volunteer and join our campaign to win more environmental victories at the local and state level after learning more.
The day kicked off with leaders around the state discussing the need to move to 100% clean electricity by 2030, protect our oceans, and more. Speakers included 100% clean energy movement leader and Stanford professor Mark Jacobson; Scripps Institution of Oceanography Director Margeret Leinen; White House Domestic Climate Policy Council Senior Advisor Sonia Arggawal; activist, artist, and survivor of the 2018 Camp Fire Linda Oslin; and David Burd (a.k.a. Lil Dicky).
The rest of the day featured a social media action hour, a youth climate activism panel discussion, expert panel on climate solutions, a workshop on how to work with the media, and a panel on 100% clean energy. The UCLA Marching Band even performed a virtual song to cheer everyone on!
We’d like to thank all the great speakers who joined us during the day, including CA State Sen. Monique Limón, Asm. Robert Rivas, Asm. Buffy Wicks, Sen. Anthony Portantino, Asm. Christina Garcia, Sen. John Laird, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Sen. Scott Wiener, Asm. David Chiu, Asm. Cottie Petrie-Norris, Environment California State Director Laura Deehan, and Union of Concerned Scientists Western States Energy Program Manager Adenike Adeyeye.
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CALPIRG Students is a statewide student-directed and student-funded nonprofit advocacy organization. Our chapters provide the training, professional support and resources students need to tackle climate change, protect public health, revitalize our democracy, feed the hungry and more. For nearly 50 years we’ve helped students to get organized, mobilized and energized so they can continue to be on the cutting edge of positive change.