Rhode Islanders Take Action at Lightbulbs to Leadership House Parties

Partygoers Ask Governor to Pursue Green Economic Development and Change Direction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 17, 2008 
CONTACT: Chris Wilhite, (401) 521-4734

[Providence, RI] – Providence residents gathered today at a home on the East Side to ask Governor Carcieri to develop a new energy economy with clean, affordable transportation choices and green jobs. Providence Mayor David Cicilline attended the house party and told participants about his work on transportation choices and clean energy. Across Rhode Island, over two dozen residents gathered at three house parties to tell policymakers that changing lightbulbs isn’t enough, we need to do more to fix our global warming and energy problems.

“The people of Rhode Island are being squeezed by high energy prices. It’s time increase the use of clean, affordable transportation choices and renewable energy,” said Chris Wilhite, Chapter Director for the Rhode Island Sierra Club. “The good news is using less oil and wasting less energy will also help fix global warming – and that embracing these solutions will also help us fix what’s wrong with our economy by creating new economic activity, opportunities and jobs. That’s why we are asking Governor Carcieri to take steps now that move us into a clean energy economy.”

 Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline explains the role of transportation choices and clean energy in the economic development of his city. Photo by Karen Talbot.

After engaging in a conference call featuring Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire, Green For All President Van Jones, and Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, house party attendees drafted letters to Governor Caricieri calling for increased funding for public transportation and green job development in Rhode Island.

“Green jobs and affordable commutes are not some pie-in-the-sky, next generation solution; indeed, millions of Americans already hold jobs intertwined with a clean energy economy that that helps make us energy independent and combats global warming,” continued Wilhite. “And investing in transportation choices, like public transit, will put our economy back on the path to broader prosperity.”

The Sierra Club’s Lightbulbs to Leadership campaign was launched to recognize that Americans are changing their light bulbs as a way to tackle our energy and global warming problems and to encourage them to do more– to demand their leaders take urgent, bold and serious action now.

Learn more about the campaign at www.sierraclub.org/lightbulbs

 Photo by Karen Talbot.

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