Rider Eco-Reps Team for Green in D.C.
As the month of March drew to a close and the colors of spring began to saturate the landscape, green was definitely on the minds of Christopher Shepherd and Jonilda Agushi, two of Rider’s student Eco-Reps, and Melissa Greenberg, Rider’s sustainability coordination manager. Greenberg awoke at 4:30 on the morning of March 31 to rally the Eco-Reps, ensuring they would all be on time for the Central New Jersey Environmental D.C. Day, hosted by Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.
“We got there for the 10:30 start, and from that point through the rest of the day, we heard about 10 different presentations,” said Greenberg, who had been invited by Holt to join him, as well as environmental leaders from across New Jersey, for a dialogue with key Congressional, executive branch and nonprofit leaders about the challenges facing America in its efforts to protect the environment.
After an introduction by Holt, who has been a leading proponent of measures to reduce human causes of climate change, attendees heard presentations on climate change and global security, smart growth, energy resources, effective environmental lobbying, protecting our national parks, and an overview of energy and environmental provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The D.C. Day, which was held inside the Whittall Pavilion of the Library of Congress, contained “a lot to absorb,” according to Greenberg. “Each speaker gave us so much information.”
Among them were Quentin Kelly of Transportation 4 America and Kate Rube of Smart Growth America, who combined for a panel on smart growth. “They discussed using the public transportation systems already in place, and getting more people to ride the rails where possible,” Greenberg explained. “At the same time, they are rehabbing inner cities in order to make them attractive once again in an effort to re-concentrate population centers in the cities and limit sprawl.”
Greenberg said the D.C. Day also provided an exceptional opportunity for Shepherd and Agushi, two of Rider’s six student Eco-Reps, to hear national political leaders involved in environmental causes. She cited a talk led by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon and a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Climate Change, as particularly outstanding.
“Oregon, as a state, is a real leader in environmental issues, and I can see why,” she said.
Greenberg was also impressed by the broad scope of the event, which tackled issues from across the environmental spectrum. “On the way back to Rider, the students and I were speaking about how hopeful we are for this country,” she explained. “There was such a focus on these issues. I’m overwhelmed by the amount of work going on behind the scenes for the environment. I’m glad the students were there to see what’s really going on.”
