LANSING – State Representative Gabe Leland (D-Detroit) hosted the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition at the Capitol today as the group launched its "Energy Future" campaign and delivered Valentine's Day cards to legislative leaders to urge them to support clean energy.
"Michigan is at an environmental and economic crossroads in terms of energy, and we need to act now to move in the right direction," Leland said. "By enacting aggressive renewable energy policies, we can capture thousands of green-collar jobs for our workers, bring millions of dollars of investment into our state and lessen our contribution to the global climate crisis. We cannot afford to miss these renewable energy opportunities, especially considering the long-term growth it means for our economy."
The "Energy Future" campaign's goals include having Michigan establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard of 25 percent by 2025. A Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS, is a requirement that a state produce a certain amount of its electricity from clean sources such as wind, solar and geothermal energy. Renewable energy job providers favor states with an RPS because the standard provides a stable, long-term demand for their products. If Michigan fails to enact an RPS, thousands of new renewable energy jobs are likely to go to workers in other states.
Leland has worked with the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition, an organization of students from college campuses around Michigan, and other student groups in an effort to empower young people to become more involved in the political process.
"Coal is one choice, but it's time to seek out other options and diversify our energy sources to include clean, renewable technology that doesn't endanger our residents and our environment," Leland said. "Detroit is on the cutting edge of producing environmentally responsible energy for our vehicles and I have faith that Michigan can keep leading the way in innovation in this and other energy areas. We also need to look at efficiency standards that help us reduce the demand for energy in our homes and public buildings. I urge my colleagues to listen to these young people and all of our other residents who want a clean, sustainable Michigan for us and for future generations."