by The Spectator Opinion Editors
The Hamilton College Climate Strike Committee has called upon the students and faculty of the College to participate in the Global Climate Strike on Friday, Sept. 20 at 12 p.m. The Committee also released a platform, which goes as follows:
Global: Solidarity and Action
Millions of people across the planet are walking out of their schools and places of work to declare that the climate crisis is the single most urgent, universal threat our species has ever faced. We demand action on a scale greater than ever seen before. The answers to the climate crisis must not only bring us to carbon neutrality quickly, but also do so in an equitable way that respects the dignity of frontline communities, which include people of color, womxn, LGBTQ+, indingenous peoples, and those living in the most climate disaster-prone areas. We will continue to protest, strike, vote, and organize with increasing intensity until these goals are achieved.
U.S. Government: Climate Justice Policy and Mindset
In the United States of America, we endorse a Green New Deal and other policies that aim for climate justice. In the State of New York, we call upon all elected and public officials to ensure that the newly passed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act be implemented to the fullest extent possible, and that members of frontline communities are given a strong voice in said implementation. We further call upon all members of government that represent Hamilton College’s students to consider and weigh heavily the climate impact of every single decision they make in office.
Hamilton College: Divestment, Leasing, Carbon Neutrality, and Transparency
We call upon the Hamilton College Board of Trustees to fully divest the endowment from all companies involved in the extraction, production, and/or distribution of fossil fuels, and then invest an equal or greater amount into renewable energy with the stated purpose of protecting our species and planet. Further, we ask that the College commit to considering the climate impact of companies or individuals it leases land to. We also encourage greater transparency in this process. Finally, we ask that the College move its carbon-neutral goal from 2050 to 2030. We urge the Board of Trustees to hear these concerns from students and faculty in-person at their next on-campus meeting.
