Activists deliver petitions to Sen. Cory Gardner calling on him to act on climate change

Environment Colorado

Denver, CO – Activists working alongside Conservation Colorado’s Protegete program and Environment Colorado delivered 1600 petitions today to Sen. Cory Gardner’s Denver Fort, Collins, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo offices, imploring the senator to take stronger action on global warming.

This effort comes just days after the Trump administration formally announced that the United States will pull out of the international Paris Agreement, which requires all signatories to put forward their best efforts to reduce emissions through climate actions and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead. It also includes requirements that all Parties report regularly on their emissions and on their implementation efforts.

“The Trump administration is on the wrong side of history, and we need Colorado-elected leaders to push back,” said Eric Timlin, Field Organizer with Environment Colorado. “Sen. Michael Bennet has spoken out against withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and Gov. Jared Polis represents Colorado in the U.S. Climate Alliance. Now, we are calling on Sen. Gardner to join in on the fight against climate change.”

The administration’s move runs counter to public support for climate solutions. A lawsuit recently filed opposing the Trump administration’s rollback of clean car rules is reflective of this public sentiment. The activists who gathered at Sen. Gardner’s offices today want to see the senator join other Colorado leaders who are willing to stand up  to the Trump Administration on this existential threat. 

“There is a multitude of issues that intersect in Latinx communities. We prioritize caring for our planet along with having clean air to breathe and want our elected officials to act on climate change. Latinx communities will not be silent as the Trump administration continues to put our health and lives at risk. We are taking action to protect our communities from the continued assaults of this Administration and those who enable it: their silence does us harm,” said Miguel Ceballos, Mobilization manger with Protégete. 

To date, Sen. Gardner has either supported or offered no position on such Trump administration climate policy rollbacks as leaving the Paris Agreement, lowering clean car standards and easing methane regulations. 

“Our generation will have to face the long-term consequences of years of inaction,” said Benjamin Lynch, a freshman at CU Denver. “We need our leaders to listen up, understand and then stand for climate solutions” 

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Protégete means “protect yourself!” As part of Conservation Colorado, we empower people of color to build a more powerful and influential voice for frontline communities who often suffer the worst environmental burdens and their associated health impacts including increased rates of asthma and respiratory disease.

Environment Colorado is a citizen based advocacy organization that works to protect our clean air, water, and open space.