By:Patricia Rush
The Step It Up press conference at the main branch of the Schenectady County library was well attended, by city, county and state elected officials, by interested citizens, and by over 25 students,members of the Schenectady County Community College Science Club. Each official made a statement regarding their efforts to curb global warming, there was a spirited Q and A session, and then we all went to the rally across the street at City Hall. The library meeting room was colorful, lined with posters, banners and displays proclaiming the goals of One Sky and Step It Up. It was an inspiring event.
By:Ed Kautz
Rally at Schenectady City Hall with speakers in support of Step It Up 2007.
By:Nancy Peterson
Many of us first attended the press conference at the public library to hear our elected officials speak. The we walked with all our posters & banners to City Hall--the front steps are a great place for a rally. About 40 people attended. Paul Tonko, President of NYSERDA, was our keynote speaker. Other speakers included Pat Rush who organized the press conference at the library, Susan Lawrence from Sierra Club, Dana Swalla from the City Energy Advisory Board, Barbara Blanchard of the City Council, Joanne Tobiessen President of the League of Women Voters, Paula Simpson from ARISE, Dalphine Tseng from the SCCC Science Club, Paula Shaw from the Green Sanctuary of the Unitarian Church, and Nancy Peterson who emceed and led songs. The entire event was taped by our local public access TV channel for future use. We really had some great speakers!
By:Catherine Miller
About 15 intrepid Schenectady County Community College Science Club members and their families braved the cold to walk 0.7 mi. from the SCCC campus to the Schenectady Library carrying signs emphasizing the 1 Sky priorities and carbon-related and other environmental issues. We were well received by pedestrians and cars passing by; the policeman who stopped traffic while we crossed a major road told us, "Anything for science!"
Once at the library we placed our signs around the meeting room and attended a press conference of city, county, and state politicians organized by the Schenectady Coalition Against Global Warming, followed by a rally on the steps of the Schenectady City Hall featuring Paul Tonko of NYSERDA and our own club president, Delphine Tseng, among a number of others.
After the rally we walked back up State St. to SCCC, still carrying our signs. I returned home cold yet energized to "step up" to continue to demand legislative action against global warming, and to reduce our own carbon footprints and that of SCCC.
