ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — As part of Earth Day, hundreds of metro Detroiters gathered today in Royal Oak to participate in the 2nd Climate March Rally and Fair.
Among them were three friends, Andy Logan, Katie Joben, and Julie Buddy, holding meaningful signs.
"People over profit. Power to the people. Protect our planet. Climate action now," the three friends said with their colorful signs.
Shifts in temperatures and weather patterns are all effects of climate change. Julie says such events help raise awareness.
"I truly believe that change is both necessary at the individual level in terms of our actions and also at the legislative level," said Buddy.
Logan says she's looking into actionable steps, EV's "and induction and stoves and solar panels and all of that" to help propel Michigan and the U.S. into a more sustainable future.
A national organization called Moms Clean Airforce also discussed ways to create a sustainable planet for future generations.
"We have twelve counties here in Michigan with failing air quality grade. We are trying to improve it by coming up with solutions like cleaner buses and other EPA regulations and protection for our kids," said Elizabeth Hauptman, field organizer with Moms Clean Airforce - Michigan Chapter.
Hauptman says, since its inception in 2011, the organization has launched several clean air initiatives. The most recent is the electrification of school buses.
"We call it mom-partisan because every parent can get behind a cleaner bus that is going to provide a safer rider for school, and not only that, it's also cost-efficient for schools," said Hauptman.
Elizabeth's son Oscar has asthma. So ensuring children have clean air is also personal.
"We are encouraging folks to apply for these school bus funds and hope to have more of these electric school buses rolling into our Michigan schools," said Hauptman.
Elizabeth says so far, 135 electric school buses are set to be rolled this year across Michigan.
Former U.S. representative Andy Levin says many other green initiatives are also in the pipeline.
"Many many high speed electric vehicle chargers are placed across the country, and Michigan will get a share of that. We've already started to roll out money for people, and homeowners to fix up their homes to make them more efficient, but research shows that Michigan, just by using winds from the Great Lakes, can produce three times the electricity that we could use here," said Levin.
Moms Clean Air Force has four active pollution awareness campaigns, including how you can get your child's school district to get electric school buses.
For details and how you can take part, head to https://www.momscleanairforce.org/state-chapters/michigan/.
