 "Photo: Nate Batchelder")
 "Photo: Nate Batchelder")
With all eyes on the color New Hampshire will turn on election day nearly two months away, UNH Power Vote, a non-partisan subcomponent of the Sierra Student Coalition, looks to re-energize the youth vote statewide with a focus on clean energy.
"We've really been able to engage people and let them seem outside of the political realm and get a sense of the real world," said Sarah Morris, Field Organizer for the Change The Climate '08 campaign, and a senior environmental conservation studies major at UNH.
The Sierra Student Coalition launched Power Vote this past fall and is an affiliate of the Energy Action Coalition. The Energy Action Coalition is made up of 46 environmental and social justice organizations and over 700 plus local groups nationwide. These groups foster non-partisanship for their members. The Sierra Student Coalition is a division of the Sierra Club, the nation's oldest and largest environmental organization. It's also a program that has consistently endorsed democratic politicians for environmental change.
UNH Power Vote, which has been working closely with SEEK in Durham, is a national based campaign that is looking to excite and empower 1 million young people nationwide. The movement looks to keep clean energy and environmental justice at the top of the political agenda during election season.
"New Hampshire seems to be a receptive audience. One of our goals is to raise voting turn out 4-5 percent," said Flo Grazi, Field Organizer for Power Vote and '08 Florida State graduate.
The group can be seen petitioning around campus outside of Dimond Library. They have been making class stops to talk to student about the issues and encourage them to sign the Power Vote platform. The national petition focuses on six major issues, according to the Power Vote website, www.powervote.org. Those issues include "encouraging green jobs now, investing in clean energy in the economy, cutting global warming pollution now, ending dependence on dirty energy, re-engage [America] as a leader in the international community, and taking dirty money out of politics. UNH Power Vote already has over 1,000 signatures from students and community members and looks to break 3,500 at the end of the month."
"We're looking for those [students] who want change now," said Morris. "It's really amazing how hungry people are for change. It's really not only about the environment, but building an economy, and dirty energy isn't getting us there."
Power Vote kicked off its campaign to the smooth sounds of Melodeego, a Boston-based funk band, at the Stone Church last Wednesday night. The band, which formed over four years ago, is no stranger to thinking green.
"We played a big show at the Boston Commons during the Mass Power Shift Conference in April," said Peter Melagodi, band founder, providing both lead vocals and guitar. "We were planning to do a show on the environment and the conference was on the same weekend. Everyone was really supportive and we really rallied the crowd."
Over the next few months as the election gets into high gear, Melodeego will be devoting their time to hooking up with as many organizations as they can on their "Soul Purpose" tour. They look to combine their message through both political activism and music. Future stops include Keene State, Plymouth State, and Buffalo State University.
"With Power Vote we're really trying to encompass everything and let people know how much leverage the youth vote has," said Melodeego bassist Greg Reinauer who has been involved with the Sierra Student Coalition for over three years. The band has also performed at the March to Re-energize New Hampshire in Nashua and is planning to release a new album in the next few weeks titled "Embrace Your Energy Revolution" using clean energy and political activism as a platform.
"Since I've been involved I've made amazing friends who are doing some amazing things," said Sarah Murphy, UNH Power Vote Event Coordinator.
UNH Power Vote has an office in the Durham Marketplace plaza and is planning on acquiring office space in the MUB.
"People from all walks of life are welcome. It is a really broad topic that effects everyone," said Murphy.
For more information on getting involved with UNH Power Vote, contact Sarah Morris at Sarah.Morris@ssc.org.
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