Groups Start to Set up in Schenely Park

Several organizations are setting up tents in Schenely Park to protest the G20 summit and the practices of the countries it represents. Among them is the “New Voices on Climate Change” effort of the “Global Justice Ecology Project.” Hallie Boas is the coordinator of “new voices for climate change,” which she says is trying to “Give voices to indigenous people who have been impacted by climate change and those who live in coal communities.” Her group is working against cap and trade plans in general and the Waxman Manley bill in specific. She says there are a lot of questions she has for supporters of cap and trade like, who is making money while the carbon is being traded and how is this helping the environment? Boas says her group is focusing on Pittsburgh this week with several events planned around the G20 summit but they are in the midst of a campus and community group tour to spread the word that cap and trade is not the answer. She says while the G20 provides a good platform, the group’s real focus is changing US Climate control policy because she believes that other countries will follow Washington’s lead. She says the nation needs to focus on clean coal and more environmentally friendly coal extraction methods. She says long wall and mountain top removal are not acceptable.