The Power Shift 2011 conference has been full of inspiration. With 10,000 youth leaders in DC — and some of the luminaries of the environmental and climate movement in attendance — Power Shift is articulating what a new grassroots force for change in America could look like.
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this weekend's key note speakers:
“We're refusing to be divided by black and brown, gay and straight, men and women. Ours is the movement of liberation.” – Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO Green For All
“To those who've put short term profits over long term health: It's over. It's done. Your time is up.” – Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO Green For All
“We're done making statements. Lets make this be the last time our movement comes together just to make statements.” – Tim DeChristopher, climate activist
“We don't even know half the species on Earth we are wiping out due to climate change.” – Bill McKibben, 350.org founder
“Every day will roll out of bed and go to work fighting the US Chamber of Commerce. I'll even go to bed and dream up new ways to fight them.” – Bill McKibben, 350.org founder
“This city looks clean and sparkling. No. This city is as polluted as Beijing, but instead of coal pollution, it's money pollution.” Bill McKibben, 350.org founder
“It's up to us to ensure the fate of the environment is up to us, not Big Polluters.” – Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator
"When you attack the EPA, you attack the American people." – Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator
“This is one of most embattled times in EPA history. The EPA is counting on Power Shift. Millions of Americans, their kids are counting on Power Shift.” – Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator.
"We saw the community organizer side of President Obama come out,” – Energy Action co-director Maura Cowley on meeting with President Obama.
“You don't have to wait for Barack Obama or Congress. You have the tools to defeat coal on your own!” – Mary Anne-Hitt, Director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign
"The pledge of allegiance says liberty and justice for all. And that's what you're gonna create." – Van Jones
“Clean energy is hippy power. But it's also cowboy power, it’s rancher power, it’s Appalachian power.” – Van Jones
“We pull out of the ground death, we burn death in our power plants, and then we act shocked when we get death in the form of oil spills and global warming.” – Van Jones
“Stop using your phones and laptops as toys and use them to start a revolution.” – Van Jones
“While they're stuck on stupid in DC, your generation is rising.” – Van Jones
“Today's young people can and must lead this challenge. We must emulate the challenge Kennedy made to put a man on moon.” – Al Gore
“The movement has to come from the grassroots, it has to come from the young people and you can do it.” – Al Gore
“Our moment has come. We have everything we need to change the world.” – Maura Cowley, Energy Action Coalition Co-Director