By Emily Moschetto
Almost 50 people gathered outside the Loudoun County Government Center Tuesday afternoon to catch the attention of local leaders and to raise awareness about how Loudouners can help combat climate change.
The “Wake Up Loudoun” rally drew members of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and a group of activists from the “Walk for Our Grandchildren” group who are in the midst of a 100-mile walk from Camp David to the White House.
The group included people of all ages, including passionate youths such as Garrett Serrels. The 17-year-old said he attended the rally “to give the message that our future matters.”
Keith Thirion, organizer of CCAN acted as the master of ceremonies, introducing speakers and leading chants—such as “keep fossil fuels in the ground”—that echoed throughout the Government Center courtyard.
The message from Thirion and other activists was directed toward the county Board of Supervisors, urging county leaders to implement the federal Clean Energy Plan and do their part to persuade federal representatives to reject the Keystone Pipeline, which is “essentially a fuse to a giant carbon bomb that we can’t unleash in our atmosphere,” Thirion said.
Andrea McGimsey, a former county supervisor and representative of 350 Loudoun, referred to climate change as the “absolutely most critical, urgent issue that is facing mankind.”
Kendall Hale, a clean-energy activist, called on the Board of Supervisors to take leadership on the issue. “We‘ve got the workforce to do it, we’ve got the passionate citizens, now we just need some political leadership,” Hale said. “We’re going to be here at every board meeting, for the rest of the term demanding action.”
Thirion said “all of the country needs to leave at least two-thirds of the fossil fuel in the ground.” He encouraged area residents to contact their local government to begin implementing the Loudoun Energy Plan, adopted by the previous Board of Supervisors in 2009. According to McGimsey, this plan is being used as a model by jurisdictions across the country as they implement strategic community energy plans.
