Michigan students have strong reasons to care about environment

By Willow Symonds
Staff Writer

Non-profit organization, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, raises support for pro-environmental political candidates. In following their mission to protect Michigan’s land, water, and air, they reach students statewide, whether it’s getting them to volunteer or to simply vote.

Southeast Michigan Organizer, Shannon Erwin, spread the word at WCC’s Welcome Day. The MLCV booth offered free merchandise, like pamphlets and stickers reading, “Our Water, Our Vote” and “Climate Action Now.” Interested students signed-up for more information, and Erwin later sent emails, recruiting them to her team.

WCC is not the only college campus Michigan League of Conservation Voters reaches out to. MLCV’s Communications Director, Nick Lodge, believes that young people’s votes are important – perhaps more so than any other age group.

“We’re all about getting them that exposure because our young folks are the leaders of tomorrow,” Dodge said. “Their voice is important, too. We get that students have other priorities: graduating, jobs, socializing. But those lawmakers in Lansing affect us all. We have the power to do something.”

Michigan’s laws contribute to the larger picture. The Intergovernmental Panel on climate change, a UN body, reports on the state of climate change. Each year shows the climate moving closer to a tipping point of no return. Dodge urged everyone, young people especially, to be bold and take action.

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters’ work lasts year-round. In non-election years, they knock on the doors of their communities (and, more commonly since the pandemic, using phone banks) to learn what Michigan residents value most.

“Conversations are the most effective way to get people engaged,” Dodge said. From these discussions, MLCV discovered that Michigan voters across party lines consider safe, clean drinking water a top priority.

“Michiganders have a natural affinity to water,” he said. “We believe that water is part of who we are – it’s in our identity, our DNA.”

Because of this, MLCV made safe drinking water their highest priority, along with healthy Great Lakes, clean air, and well-kept public land. Climate change is another important issue that worries Michiganders. According to Dodge, the argument around climate change no longer polarizes the parties as it did years ago. The debate has shifted to: How bad is this, really? How much effort should we put into fixing it?

Dodge stressed the necessity of moving away from fossil fuels and toward 100% clean energy. Due to the state’s background in car manufacturing, he believes that Michigan should be the number one leader in electric vehicles.

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters promotes good government, which they believe includes political transparency and accountability. For environmentally friendly bills to pass, elections need to be open and fair. They recently created a Digital Accountability Suite, which allows Michigan residents to find their local lawmakers’ scorecards for their votes on environmental bills.”

Before making endorsements, MLCV conducts one-on-one interviews: Will candidates invest in cleaner energy? Will they hold polluters accountable? Ensure water and health comes first? These questions apply to politicians from all parties.

Dodge described this midterm election as, “unique … because Michigan’s districts were just redrawn. Before this year, gerrymandering gave unfair advantages to Republican candidates. Now it’s not perfect but it’s more fair.”

MLCV has many opportunities for students and others to volunteer and get connected with their organization. According to Dodge, their volunteer and leadership programs are great for students wanting to learn how government works and to protect the environment. Our Water, Our Voters activists work hard to train new volunteers in high school, college, or older.

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