Marylanders featured in project highlighting “Voices for 100% Renewable Energy”
Environment Maryland
For more information: Anna Hofmann – (202) 461-2453
Today, Environment Maryland announced three Maryland residents as leading voices for clean energy. The Marylanders are profiled in a national project, Voices for 100% Renewable Energy, featuring photos, testimonials, and videos from a wide array of individuals from across America – from academics, to mayors and other public officials, to community leaders, to business and non-profit leaders – embracing a massive transition to clean energy.
Marylanders featured in the in the project include State Representative Shane Robinson; Arjun Makhijani, the President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research; and Joe Uehlein, the President of the Labor Network for Sustainability.
“We’re inspired by people like Dr. Makhijani, Representative Robinson, and Joe Uehlein, who know we can, and must, shift to 100 percent renewable energy,” said Rob Sargent, Energy Program Director with Environment America. “We’re thrilled to share some of their stories through this project. Our hope is that it will motivate the many folks who know we need a swift, steady and complete transition from dirty to clean energy to lean into the effort.”
The people featured in the project cited a range of environmental, economic, equity, social, and health benefits from the transition to 100 percent renewable energy. Most focused on the urgent need to eliminate climate-altering carbon pollution. Others simply believe that it’s common sense and good economics to save energy and to harness unlimited, pollution-free energy sources.
Joe Uehlein says, “In order to create a world where making a living on a living planet is a reality, not just a dream, we need a just transition to an economy powered entirely by clean, safe, renewable resources.”
“We don’t need to choose between different ways of enjoying the present and passing the liabilities to future generations,” says Arjun Makhijani.
Representative Robinson speaks to the importance of decisive climate action in Maryland, saying, “We know that unchecked climate change will wreak havoc across the state. But we also know that achieving 100% clean energy is possible in Maryland, and we are working on a plan to make it happen. Having been the first state with shale gas reserves to enact a statutory fracking ban, we’ve already proven bold action is possible. For the sake of the planet, we’re going to prove it again.”
“For years, we’ve been told that pollution from dirty fuels was the price we had to pay for progress,” said Anna Hofmann, a clean energy associate working with Environment Maryland. “Those days are over. My confidence that we can make the shift to clean renewable energy has been boosted by the conversations I’ve had with so many people we’ve profiled in the Voices for 100% Renewable project.”
To view Voices for 100% Renewable Energy, go to www.100percentrenewable.org.
