Last night, February 15th, Coal Free Mizzou had their kickoff event with over 70 attendees not only including students, but MU faculty and community members from the Columbia area.  Our campaign’s focus in the last semester was student health relating to the University of Missouri’s coal plant, which makes up for about 80% of the campus energy.  Since fall of 2009, Coal Free had been a small group of about 20 students on Mizzou’s campus, but after last semester’s events, including a flash mob and asthma awareness event, we have grown in numbers and in passion. 

“Coal Free Mizzou” has been a buzz word on campus with our constant petitioning and visual events.  But after our discouraging meeting with the Vice Chancellor at the end of last semester, in which we were told that Mizzou would never set the 2020 date to being off of coal, we realized in the words of Janina Klimas, shit was getting abundantly real. 

So, starting with last night’s event, we are hitting the administration from all sides- with faculty, community members and even more students who demand that the university seeks to be 100% off of coal by 2020.

The evening started off with a video showing Coal Free Mizzou’s journey: from PowerShift 2011 to the Tar Sands Action in DC, and had several personal interviews with Coal Free Mizzou members.  The video perfectly captured everything Coal Free had done and stands for and it brought tears to my eyes to see how far we had come. 

After the room was filled with excitement and MO Love!, Journalism Professor Bill Allen spoke to the group about the media’s role in climate change emphasizing that while the media may show both sides of the story, scientifically speaking, there is only one side.  He compared the “Climate Wars” to the “Tobacco Wars” and cited several instances were the oil industry and coal industry have lead the public astray in thinking that global warming is something to doubt and mistrust. 

Karen Piper, an English Professor at the university followed with her personal story on how the harmful particles released from burning coal can impact the health of people that leave near a coal plant, but also those exposed to the waste like those in Labadie, MO. 

Lindsey Berger, Missouri Sierra Student Coalition representative, followed up with an impassioning speech calling everyone present to action, if not for themselves, then for their children and grandchildren.

I myself was skeptical that these speeches had reached anyone but the already crazy environmental activists such as myself as the room stood quiet after each with only a few asking questions.  However, as we broke out into debrief groups and ate dinner, the other facilitators and I were BLOWN AWAY by the response we got from everyone who attended.  Not one table had one of “those kids” who came but was still skeptical or unimpressed. 

My table had four students and a community member, all who said they had come for a friend or for the free pizza.  After hearing the speakers each one wanted to get involved and make a difference on our campus, our community, and the Midwest! After 30 minutes of socializing and break outs we brought it back in for the closing “MO Love!” chants and left the event with new friends and allies.

I can’t decide if this event was more beneficial to the newcomers or to the core team of students we had.  Before every event I find myself skeptical and wondering if it’s the most strategic thing and if all this stress and worry is worth it and really making a difference.  And each time I am blown away and humbled by the contagious energy that follows the youth climate action movement.  There have been very few times were I have been compelled and comfortable enough to cry in front of a group of people in a public place, but as the core team was debriefing the event, I couldn’t hold back the tears.  This event brought me back to all the rushed feelings I had after PowerShift, SPROG or any of the number of conferences within the climate action movement. 

So here we are, re-inspired, re-energized, re-organized and ready to kick some major coal ash this semester!

As always, MO <3