On their early morning bus ride to the Indianapolis Statehouse on Feb. 13, Lily Hestjean, Munster senior and environmental club (EC) leader, and Calvin McNulty, junior and EC leader, discuss and write down questions for their scheduled meeting with Representative Sue Errington about their support for Community Solar, a voluntary subscription for families and business to receive credit on their utility bill for a share of the power the community solar panels produce, as introduced in House Bill 1193. Alongside Calvin and Lily, ten other EC members joined on the trip for the Statehouse’s sixth annual Renewable Energy Day event.
The event invited those passionate and interested in renewable energy to advocate for their energy rights. More than 200 people attended the event in which they could visit renewable energy sponsors, listen to advocating speakers, and, in EC’s case, talk directly to legislators.
“This year, the EC has been making it known that young people have and should use their voice for advocacy,” Addy Ellis, junior and EC leader, said.
Once EC arrived at the statehouse, they quickly made their way outside the doors of the House of Representatives office to meet with Errington. During their meeting, Errington noted that change for more renewable energy sources is definitely occurring, but slowly.
“Utilities are changing a little bit,” Errington said. “However they still want to be in charge, and don’t want to be sharing energy. They have their big power plants with coal, and they are changing some, but not very fast.”
Errington commented that legislators “not fully understanding what climate change means” is another factor to slow change. She agreed with Mr. Mike Bakker, science teacher and EC sponsor, that the future for environmental change is more promising as students, like EC, speak out for change.
“I think the fact that utilities are doing a little bit of change shows they are aware of the bigger change that needs to happen,” Bakker said. “So, now is the time that we can push more. These students make me feel better and hopeful for the future.”
After that meeting, EC walked around and talked to the various sponsors’ at the event:
- Center for Energy Education
- Citizens Action Coalition
- Citizens' Climate Lobby
- Creation Care Partners
- Drive Clean Indiana
- Earth Care Bloomington
- Earth Charter Indiana
- EDP Renewables
- Energy Matters Community Coalition
- Faith in Place
- Geenex Solar
- Greater Indiana Clean Cities, Inc.
- Hoosier Chapter Sierra Club
- Hoosier Electric Vehicle Association
- Hoosier Environmental Council.
- Hoosiers for Renewables
- IN-ACRE
- IndianaDG
- League of Women Voters of Indiana
- Morton Solar & Electric, LLC
- SIREN and Indiana Solar for All
- Solar Energy Solutions
- Solar United Neighbors
- Solarize Indiana
- Whole Sun Solar
Then, unarranged, Representative Mike Andrade recognized the Munster students at the event and dispelled a previously planned meeting to have time to talk with EC. Andrade stressed the important step-by-step process of implementing bills like House Bill 1193.
“We want to work with the companies and have the data to show that the program is working, so we can continue to work forward,” Andrade said. “We have to start some way, somehow.”
When Hestjean asked Andrade if he foresees a chance of this bill being passed, Andrade responded that “as long as we are here advocating and fighting, there is always a chance. It takes all of us working together, so there’s always hope.”