Student cyclists bring early Xmas present – and pressure – to Kerry

Seven students dressed as Santa and his elves delivered “coal” to Sen. John Kerry in Boston last week – but it was not because he’s been bad.

The group, part of three teams of students bicycling across Massachusetts to meet with residents about climate change, delivered more than a hundred used incandescent light bulbs painted black in recognition of his efforts to reduce heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. The lightbulbs were donated by people who have switched to more energy efficient compact fluorescents.

Christmas in July. (photo courtesy of Lauren K. Turnbull)

But it was also a reminder that the students – and the world – will be watching in December as Kerry, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman, is expected take a central role at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen.

“The idea is that as the polar ice caps melt, Santa will become the world’s most celebrated climate refugee,” explains Sally Sharrow, a junior at Tufts University. “But ultimately climate change impacts us all. We’re conveying that message in an unusual way – even though it’s a very serious issue – because we’re young, and this is an issue that the youth of this state care passionately about.”

The students are part of Massachusetts Power Shift, a grassroots effort to repower the economy with green energy. They represent three teams of college students bicycling across Massachusetts this summer to talk to residents and mobilize them about climate change.

The students want Kerry to push for an agreement that would follow scientific advice that the world should have no more than 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Today, they said, it is already at 390 parts.

. Kerry’s staff met with the students and he released a statement saying “...this is a fight for their future. The Climate Summer activists understand the urgency and we need more people, of all ages, to follow their lead and get involved in this fight."