Out of the mouths of babes. Well, in this case, tweens. Young participants in an environmental summer camp took their quest for clean air to the West End Overlook on Thursday, hoping to persuade City Council to enact tougher measures.
Seventy-eight middle-school students are taking part in the nine-week Pittsburgh Cares E-Serve camp, which is designed to teach them about the environment and what individuals can do to help make the world cleaner, greener and healthier.
They did plenty of homework before holding their press conference and rally, complete with colorful signs and careful speeches. The Group Against Smog and Pollution conducted a workshop for them, teaching them several weeks ago about health hazards associated with diesel particulate emissions. The campers were told about a bill, already supported by four members of City Council, which would require contractors to use low-sulfur diesel fuel in vehicles operated at city-subsidized projects and tighten up their practices on stormwater management. That bill was the focus of the students’ demonstration.
It was a breath of fresh air to hear the young people speaking for themselves on an important public policy. We hope all nine City Council members were listening.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10199/1073307-192.stm#ixzz0uEq62ivT
