Over three dozen people stood outside Auburn’s Memorial City Hall on Friday to rally for the future of the planet and the health of the environment.
Organizer of the event, Dominic Gambaiani, said the Auburn rally was simply part of a larger effort around the globe. He told Finger Lakes News Radio, that “there were about 500-600 strikes around the globe on every continent, demanding governments to end fossil fuels and do more for climate.”
Politicians and activists spoke to the crowd about the dangers threatening the planet’s health and actions that can be taken to help better protect the earth.
Lucy Janssen is the owner of Reuse Refuge in the city’s downtown. She said her desire is to see society transition away from plastics and into reusable goods. Her store allows people to refill products, such as dish soap, deodorant, and shampoo, in order to reduce the prevalence of single-use plastics.
Two elected officials spoke at the event. The first was State Senator Rachel May. She spoke on her office’s efforts to address the climate crisis namely her efforts to have the state transition away from fossil fuels. Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, May commended the efforts of local volunteers in championing the health of Owasco Lake.
“I think the work that’s been done by local people, a lot of them volunteers, to try and figure out a plan for the lake has been incredibly important and we need to help support that process and make sure that we get to a point where we can be confident that the water is being protected here.”
Specifically concerned with Owasco Lake was Terry Cuddy with Save Owasco Now (SON). He spoke on the continued efforts of SON and other organizations to seek a Total Maximum Daily Load for the lake. “With all these people that are at this event,” Cuddy told Finger Lakes News Radio, “we’re going to build a coalition that is going to require the governor to do what is right for the drinking water of 450,000 people.”
Cuddy also serves as an Auburn City Councilor. On Thursday, he and his colleagues, along with their counterparts on the Owasco Town Board, unanimously passed resolutions asking New York State to implement and fund a Total Maximum Daily Load Comprehensive Watershed Clean-up Plan for Owasco Lake as required by Federal law.
After the speeches, those in attendance ended the rally with a chant: “Stand up. Get down. The revolution’s in town.”
