This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CNU chapter.

Dear Reader, brace yourself. I am about to throw a bunch of information your way.

If you haven’t heard, there is no doubt that global temperatures are on the rise. The year 2014 was just dubbed the hottest year in record history by the Washington Post. This has innumerable consequences for life on earth, especially for humanity. As a result of climate change, also known as global warming, human populations are already forced to leave their homes. The lives of 7 billion (and growing) humans here on earth are threatened by food scarcity as well. Farming, an already difficult task, will increase in laboriousness due to extreme droughts and flooding.

Rising sea levels already affect our coastlines placing Hampton Roads in 2nd place for most vulnerable flood regions in the United States, just behind New Orleans. In fact, members from our own community like Old Dominion University and Virginia Institute of Marine Science located in Gloucester Point, published conclusive papers demonstrating the rise of sea levels for several past decades. Have you ever tried to drive up Main Street in Newport News after a heavy rain? I would not advise it, because it is usually flooded. There lies more hazards resulting from this global issue, but I end here because these two issues affect Hampton Roads the most.

I know the question you are asking yourself: what does this have to do with me?

The same materials that make up the soil we step on, the clothes we wear, and the air we breathe are all found within our very bodies. That being said, the earth deserves respect, kindness, and love. However, it sadly has been receiving very little of these devotions. Take a few steps off campus and play spot the cigarette butts, and four times out of five you don’t want to jump in the James River.

Wait, wait, wait, what about this Virginia Power Shift thing?

Virginia Power Shift is an event where we can learn how to help the earth, which begins by helping ourselves. Understanding this is vital and at VAPS the tools we need to improve are provided in a fun and easily accessible manner. From February 13th-15th, hundreds of students will converge on the campus of University of Mary Washington. The students of UMW have an amazing divest campaign (check out this piece on Fossil Free), thus to help continue the fight, that Friday at 5pm we kick off the weekend with a huge march for divestment. The rest of the night will include an open mic for musical and poetic talents, as well as a possible art center. On Saturday there is an anti-oppression seminar, which is followed by four workshop-filled sessions lasting one hour and fifteen minutes long each. These workshops include various topics from social, economic, and environmental issues. After all, the environmental movement is a movement of movements. CNU’s own Dr. Finn will present on Capitalism, Neoliberalism, and Environmental Movements. Education on Sunday, they will end with breakout sessions where students divide into groups based on their interest (like ecofeminism, divestment, etc.) to create action plans for their campus.

Behind the scenes of this inspiring event are the Virginia Student Environmental Coalition and Virginia Student Power Network. Both groups aim to bond Virginia students in a cohesive force to combat and serve as a support basis for any student involved with these aforementioned issues. This year we aim to assemble, train, and empower 300+ students.

If you want to join us on this fantastic weekend, please purchase your ticket here. Concerned about money? Interested? Shoot me an email at colleen.garrison.11@cnu.edu.

“My revolution is of the earth and will come from her

For her, because of her

It understands that every time we frack or drill

Or burn or violate the layers of her sacredness

we violate the soul of our future…”

–Eve E.9

Sources:

1. The Washington Post

2. Daily Press

3. EcoWatch

4. Old Dominion University

5. Virginia Institute of Marine Science