MU students to spread clean energy message with pinwheels

COLUMBIA — Students will gather at 12:40 p.m. Thursday on Mel Carnahan Quadrangle to display pinwheels in a call for clean energy at MU.

The event is part of the Sierra Students Coalition's National Day of Action, a nationwide movement to display more than 6,000 pinwheels in support of clean energy on college campuses.

The display at MU is organized by Coal Free Mizzou, which is part of the national Beyond Coal Campaign led by the Sierra Student Coalition.

There will be a presentation of the 500 student-made pinwheels, which will be displayed in the grass of the south quadrangle.

"The pinwheels were created by MU students out of recycled paper as a symbol our generation's desire for a clean energy future," said Melissa Vatterott, a spokeswomanfor Coal Free Mizzou. "The pinwheel idea is used to symbolize clean energy sources, such as wind power."

Following the presentation of the pinwheels, Larry Brown, an assistant professor of geography, and Rebecca Scott, an assistant professor of sociology, will make speeches in support of clean energy innovation and implementation.

Vatterott said that students nationwide will send the pinwheels to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson following the events, "as a thank you for holding the coal industry’s feet to the fire. The EPA is trying to regulate and better demonstrate the true cost of coal."