Ruff was the only one of the five that didn’t attend Michigan State University, instead representing the Maze and Blue of Michigan. Green, however, seems to fit Ruff just fine, as this profile in the local Livingston Daily explains:

Just a sophomore at the University of Michigan, Ruff held court with some of the United States’ most highly influential politicians, discussing climate-change legislation, clean energy and other important environmental issues. Ruff was one of five student leaders from the state of Michigan to attend.

“I think we gave a good name to Michigan and showed that we’re working really hard to improve this state,” said Ruff, who would like to see Michigan snag clean-energy jobs that might otherwise go to China. “I think it was a great experience.”

Ruff took part in senate meetings with staffers from Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin’s offices, while also participating in a roundtable discussion in Senator John Kerry’s office.

Her organizing and fight for clean energy legislation started long before she walked the halls of the U.S. Senate:

Ruff helped start the University of Michigan Repower America chapter with her friend and fellow University of Michigan student Denise Foley.

“Our energy system is polluting our neighborhoods, threatening our national security and killing the planet,” Ruff said. “It’s time we invest in a clean-energy economy that creates millions of new jobs in Michigan and protects future generations. That’s why I have been organizing students on campus. It’s our future at stake, and we need to be louder than the dirty-energy lobbyists in Washington.”

It is our future, which is why it is our voices that must be heard on Capitol Hill, just like Jessica’s. Senator Kerry told her, and the rest of us, as much when we met with him.

No generation will be affected by climate change and failed energy policies as much as ours. Which is why our voices must be the loudest.

On a Chamber of Commerce conference call, Senator Murkowski responded to a compliment from coal baron and noted asshole Robert Murray* by boasting about her very “own group of protestors”:

I actually had an event here in Washington last night and I had my own group of protestors show up, and I guess you know you’ve arrived in politics when you generate your own group of protestors against you.

Listen to the audio for the full effect:

In case you missed it yesterday, here’s the video of Murkowski “meeting” her “fan club” before heading to meet her actual biggest fans, lobbyists representing Big Oil and Dirty Coal:

Click here to view the embedded video.

* In addition to his general disdain for our planet and all that inhabits it, is it possible that Mr. Murray’s current antipathy to the EPA is related to its opposition of his recent proposal to build a new toxic coal slurry impoundment?

In response, our Organize to be Heard student organizers donned “No Dirty Air Act” surgical masks, presenting an apocolyptic vision of a future where big polluters can destroy our environment with impunity.

The protestors staked out the entrance and windows of the fundraiser, ensuring that Murkowski, as well as Senators Gregg, Enzi, and Chambliss, and representatives from Big Oil and Dirty Coal couldn’t miss the striking visuals.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Update:

More details on the Murkowski’s polluter friends

Host Alex Flint lobbies for the Nuclear Energy Institute, whose PAC has given her $5,000 since 2008. Beverly K. Marshall lobbies for Duke Energy, which is basedin North Carolina, and has given the senator $24,050over the course of her career. David Russellrepresents a number of clients for Bryan Cave LLP, including Peabody Energy, a coal company basedin St. Louis,  Mo. Peabody’s PAC has given her $3,000 since 2008.

Youth activists fill Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office, opposing the Dirty Air Act

Tuesday afternoon they came in a wave. The “Michigan Delegation”, as I called them, rolled in to the CEW office, having been awake since 3:30 am, but ready to get after it. We didn’t hold back.

After lunch these winners of the Consequence Organize to be Heard Challenge headed over to Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office. The Senator from Alaska is of course the author of the Dirty Air Act (the sponsor anyway, the bill itself was shown to be written by lobbyists).

The group filled Murkowski’s office, wearing surgical masks symbolizing the dangerous air Murkowski’s “Disapproval Resolution” will create. However, when a staffer said the Senator wasn’t available, then screamed at a participant not to shoot video with a Flip Video Cam, the group was directed to the Energy and Natural Resources committee room, a committee on which Murkowski serves. Other notable members include Maria Cantwell, author of the Cap-and-Dividend bill and former climate change legislation supporter John McCain.

That made it all the more beneficial that McKie Campbell, Republican Staff Director of the ENR committee, agreed to sit down with us to talk clean energy and climate legislation, as well as the Murkowski amendment.

One thing Campbell agreed with is that the Dirty Air Act is in fact slowing down the process, at least for the ENR committee, of achieving the comprehensive legislation we need. He made a special point to note how many businesses emit some level of carbon, creating worry about the effect of EPA regulation on the economy without investment in clean energy.

That is what we are asking for. It is time not only to cap carbon, but also to invest in our clean energy future. Campbell is right in his assessment that most businesses emit carbon, but do so on anywhere near the scale of our energy production, specifically coal-fired power plants.

Rev. Yearwood, Challenge winners and Flava of 93.9 WKYS bring bus tour to Black Eyed Peas concert.

It was a highly technical conversation that we had with Campbell, but a learning experience to talk with one of the integral parts of writing the policy we are working to see passed.

Which led to us heading out to do that work. A couple of hours later we were stationed outside of the Black Eyed Peas concert at the Verizon Center, along with Reverend Lennox Yearwood, of the Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! Bus Tour, telling people about our big event at the Capitol Reflecting Pool tomorrow at 11:30.

The Challenge winners also got together with Flava of 93.9 WKYS and Rev. Yearwood to push the message outside the show. “We can do this together,” the Reverend said.

Tomorrow, along with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and all of the people with the Clean Energy Now! Bus Tour, our youth activists will stand in the shadow of our nation’s capitol, calling for comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.

We know what is at stake. It’s our future.

The arrival of the bus tour coincides with the Organize to be Heard fly-in, with great events on tap for the week that includes several trips to Capitol Hill, as well as a press conference with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Featuring DJ Biz Markie, Jackson, Alliance for Climate Protection CEO Maggie Fox, youth activists and performers, we will be taking over outside the capitol reflecting pool on Wednesday at 11:30.

Before that big event, many of the same people will be rallying for clean energy outside of the Verizon Center, where Will.I.Am and the Black Eyed Peas will be performing on Tuesday night. The Clean Energy Now! Tour Bus will be outside the building, just blocks from the Capitol. Check back for more information on the blog and Twitter.

The tour has been through Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri so far, while spending today in Indianapolis.

The Organize to be Heard challenge wrapped up earlier this month and now has the winning youth in town for events the like of meetings with John Kerry and other activities on Capitol Hill, as well as the two events above.

The voice’s of this nation’s youth need to be heard as we fight for clean energy and climate legislation that is long overdue. Our future is at stake. And we are organizing to win.

It’s been exciting and inspiring to see the thousands of letters and phone calls generated as part of the Organize to be Heard Challenge, and it’s a sure sign that this is a fight we will win.

As a reminder, this is the last week of the Organize to be Heard Challenge. Make sure you report all actions before the deadline to earn points for the challenge.

http://consequence09.org/challenge/reporting/

Submissions close this Friday, February 12th at 11:59pm EST!

Winners will be announced on Monday, and details for the DC fly-in (and lunch with Senator Kerry!) will be coming soon.

Keep up the great work!

P.S. If you have any questions about the Challenge or problems with reporting, let us know. Send us an email at contact@consequence09.org to get in touch.

In response, we launched the Organize to be Heard Challenge, and thousands of young people have stepped up, generating thousands of phone calls, handwritten letters and petitions demanding action on climate and clean energy.

Unfortunately, despite the overwhelming call for action, there is one roadblock where all progress stops: our broken U.S. Senate. The Senate needs to know we’re sick of leaders who fail to lead and tired of government which fails to govern. They need to know that we’re not idealistic, we’re angry.

Call your Senator and tell them to stop standing in the way of our clean energy future!

Our generation is mobilized and making an impact on leaders in Washington. Over a thousand activists have already joined the Organize to be Heard Challenge, generating hundreds of handwritten letters and phone calls to the Senate.

Returning home for the holidays is a chance to build on this success and reach another audience. Make clean energy action part of your Thanksgiving celebration with your friends and family. Here’s how:

1. Turkey - Talk turkey about climate. During your Thanksgiving dinner talk to your friends and family about the climate organizing you are doing and ask them to get involved.
   Show them the Organize to be Heard video
2. Stuffing - Stuff envelopes with letters to your Senators demanding strong action to stop climate change and create clean energy jobs. Bring the supplies with you to your holiday gathering and tell them why you and your family care enough to take time out of of your Thanksgiving.
   Print out this sample letter to get you started
3. Pie - Take the next step and call your Senators to make your voice heard.
   Using our click-to-call tool, calling the Senate is simple as pie

Don’t forget to report the action you generate and earn points for Organize to be Heard.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo Credit: stevevoght

Sparty celebrating a succesful clean energy event

Tom Izzo and the Michigan State basketball team aren’t the only ones off to a strong start this season. The Spartans have also jumped to an early lead in the Organizing to be Heard Challenge, racking up hundreds of letters and phone calls asking Senators Levin and Stabenow to support clean energy.

As The State News Reports:

On Wednesday night, students from Spartans Repowering America, the MSU chapter of the national organization Repower America, painted the rock on Farm Lane in an effort to promote a larger interest in their cause. Overall, the group collected more than 100 letters and several video testimonies from students.

Some of the goals of Repower America include creating a green economy, bringing jobs to Michigan, ending dependency on foreign oil, increasing national security and creating a clean environment for future generations, Starke said.

“I think it’s important for students to have the opportunity to communicate with senators,” Starke said. “Clean energy is important for our future and anything we can do to be a part of our government is important.”

Read the rest at The State News