University of Tasmania students to vote on their climate change future

Students from The University of Tasmania will get the chance to tell global leaders what level of carbon emissions reductions they want the world to commit to at a local Youth Decide voting event on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th of September.

Youth Decide is Australias first national youth vote that gives young people, who will be most impacted by climate change, the chance to vote on the type of world they want to inherit.

Event organizer and Tasmanian University Union (TUU) Student Representative Committee (SRC) Environment Officer, naomi wakelin said The University of Tasmania would join thousands of young people around Australia to vote in Youth Decide as similar events are being held throughout Tasmania and Australia.

To celebrate the youth climate change referendum, a number of TUU societies assisted by the TUU SRC will host different events to bring including a flash mob dance at 1.00pm and a free BBQ for voters on Tuesday 15th of September outside the Morris Miller Library from 12am-2pm.

Young people will be the most affected by climate change, said Tom Luckman, from the TUU Bicycle User Group. Were holding this event to give young people from UTAS the chance to have their voices heard on the issue.

The results of the vote will be presented to the Federal Government and then taken to the United Nations climate change talks in New York and Copenhagen.

We want to encourage all young people to vote in Youth Decide, and show our leaders that young people are very concerned about climate change and their future, James Correy of the Fair Go Society said.

Climate change will have dire impacts on the health of the Great Barrier Reef, the livelihood of plant and animal species, the worldwide production of food, the availability of water and on the ability of the worlds poorest to survive.

Hosted by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) and World Vision, voting takes place online at www.youthdecide.com.au and all young people around Australia are encouraged to vote.

What: Youth Decide FREE VEGETARIAN BBQ and voting at UTas Sandy Bay campus

Who: TUU Student Representative Committee, TUU Bicycle User Group, The Fair-Go Society and The Environment Collective.

When: Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th of September, 12.00am-2.00pm

Where: Tuesday – outside the Morris Miller Library, Sandy Bay UTas campus

Wednesday the Refectory Steps, TUU Building, Sandy Bay UTas campus

Other events include;

TUU-BUG free Bike Breakfast Wed 16th, 8.00-10.00am, TUU steps

SOURCE site tour Wed 16th, 2.00pm, Source site, French St, Sandy Bay

TUU Bicycle User Group visit www.tinyurl.com/tuubug or email tuubug@gmail.com

The Fair Go Society visit http://thefairgosociety.wordpress.com/ or email fairgosociety@yahoo.com

Naomi Wakelin