Burlington Draws the Line on Keystone XL Pipeline
On Saturday September the 21st, members of the Burlington community, in conjunction with Student Climate Culture, Rising Tide and 350VT, voiced their opposition to the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, which would span a 1,179 mile (1,897 km) expanse from Alberta, CA, to Steele City, Nebraska. Student activists masqueraded as captains of big oil, delivering satirical speeches in support of the proposed pipeline project. The demonstration continued with a procession to Church St., where a coalition of students and community members stood lock-armed to symbolically block the pipeline.
Student Climate Culture member and University of Vermont student Evan Cuttitta commented, “we’re not merely ‘drawing the line’ on Keystone XL; we’re establishing a new standard for environmental stewardship in this energy crisis.”
Caroline DeCunzo added, “This action is not only working to oppose the keystone XL pipeline, we’re also trying to change the societal norms that allow us to continuously support such a destructive industry.”
Student Climate Culture intends to further its campaign with a demonstration at an upcoming Board of Trustees meeting. In the interim, it will remain occupied with smaller initiatives.
