South Carolina talks Economy; 725+ say Green Jobs Now!

South Carolina Alliance for Sustainable Campuses and Community (SCASCC), a network of the Southern Energy Network hosted over 75 young concerned citizens from 11 colleges, high schools, and universities to call on elected officials and educate the public about the potential to create over 28,000 new jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors in the next two years!

The SCASCC fall summit, In the wake of a near total economic collapse, poorly thought-out government bail-outs, and a fuel-crisis that has haunted the Southeast for the past several days, focused on ending our nations daunting addiction to the fossil fuels that are driving the economy into the ground.

Taking to the streets, 30 student activists paraded through the party-minded tailgaters at the University of South Carolina vs University of Alabama Birmingham football game, preaching the gospel of the potential for real sustainable green jobs to lift the econcomy while solving the imposing climate crisis.

Over 725 youth signed the PowerVote pledge in just under three hours, sending a message to elected officials that South Carolinians are ready for a Green Economy to lift all boats, pull our nation out of its fossil fuel addictions, and declare an end to coal and nuclear development in the south.

SCASCC: a youth powershift, attendees also planned for the future of the network, highlighting student and community struggles to stop new coal and nuclear proposals. Re-invigorated and invested in the struggle to end environmental racism, economic injustice, and protect a healthy future; students decided to take on the challenge of shutting down new dirty energy developments, and of creating a state moratorium on both coal and nuclear power development within 5 years.

To date, South Carolina gets nearly 50% of its electricity from nucler power, and is coming increasingly closer to becoming a dumping grounds for Nuclear Waste being produced around the region and around the world. To say the least, the nuclear lobby is strong in South Carolina, and has caused many in South Carolina’s conservation community waiver in their stances against the expensive and risky technology.

The South Carolina Alliance for Sustainable Campuses and Communities, in its fourth year, has worked in coalition with state-wide conservation organizations to stop proposed Pee Dee Energy Facility, and has worked with several communities and community leaders to halt development plans of new nuclear facilities.