A Boston Latin School student calling on MA DEP to ‘connect the dots’ and take climate action.

“If the government’s action to address global warming were a basketball game, they are playing like it’s the first quarter when in reality there are only a few seconds left on the clock.” A well put simile stated by Eshe Sherley in her video that started the KIDS vs. Global Warming Petition public hearing at Mass DEP last week. On Thursday June 13, young students from the Boston Latin School who are members of Youth Climate Action Network spoke to Massachusetts DEP and asked the agency to do more. These students along with two Boston College Law students demonstrated that they are concerned for our futures by creating a petition asking DEP to do what it is supposed to do.

“Connect the dots” is what one student from Boston Latin School asked DEP to do. He and many other frustrated students and environmental organizations are asking DEP to change its attitude towards global warming and step up its game. In the hearing the students listed out particular environmental projects that they want DEP to take on, from reducing carbon emissions to making environmental initiatives in Massachusetts transparent and user friendly for the public. These students also listed out activities that they have led and demonstrated how they have made a difference in their school. For example, these students implemented water bottle filling stations in their school, and even created a “Green Day” – a  day where students tried to be green as possible.  Raffle tickets were given to students who traveled to school by taking public transportation, biking, walking or carpooling. These students demonstrated how they made a difference in their school community and wanted to encourage their government to do the same for Massachusetts.

The students are calling on DEP to issue regulations under the MA Global Warming Solutions Act. In particular, the petition calls on DEP to “Publish the delinquent rules expressly required by Mass. General Laws Chapter 21N Section 3(d) establishing declining levels of annual aggregate emissions rates as mandated by that law.” In response to the student’s demands, DEP gave a presentation on what the DEP has done and is working on.  But DEP’s actions fall far short of what it is required to do, frustrating the students, environmental organizations and others in the room. The students hope their petition will light a fire under DEP to respond with a sense of urgency and help create a healthier environment. CLF and many others stand with the students in calling on DEP to get the job done now.