Earth Day is on Monday, April 22, and the Clean Energy and Jobs coalition is hosting a lobby day and rally to show Minnesota’s state legislators the importance of increasing the renewable energy standard to make our state more sustainable and energy independent.

The campaign answers Governor Dayton’s call to establish Minnesota’s sustainable energy future this legislative session and beyond by promoting economic, energy and climate solutions supported by the majority of Minnesota voters. The campaign specifically supports strengthening our state’s commitment to clean, renewable energy by increasing the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) to 40 percent by 2030, including a Solar Energy Standard of 10 percent by 2030.

Environmental and labor organization agree that a sustainable energy future is necessary for our state. Most important, however, is the youth voice. There needs be a strong turnout from the next generation as these issues will dramatically affect the kind of economy and planet we inherit.

The Day of Action begins with a lobby day at the State Capitol at 9:30 and ends with a large rally in the Capitol Rotunda at 3:00 p.m. A group of Mac students will be meeting on Bateman Plaza (outside the CC) on Monday at 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. to either bike or bus to the Capitol. We will meet with more than 30 energy, labor, youth, faith, environmental and conservation groups in the rotunda for a short rally at 2:00 p.m. where Will Steger, Governor Dayton, and other speakers and performers will address the crowd.

If you cannot get off campus that day but still want to celebrate Earth Day, come to the film screening of Bill McKibben’s Do the Math (Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in Humanities 226) sponsored by Fossil Free Mac, or come to the screening of Chasing Ice and presentation by Paul Douglas (7:00 p.m. on Monday in JBD) sponsored by the Sustainability Office. Happy Earth Day!

MPIRG, Fossil Free Mac, MacCARES, Minnesota Youth Environmental Network, Sustainability Office