We are students in New York State and are asking that New York State stop expanding fossil fuels in new buildings.  

Please sign this petition if you are a NY-based student or an ally who supports strong action to mitigate the climate crisis.

The reason we are asking this is that other than climate action is extremely important for students because young people will face the worst impacts of climate breakdown from the continued use of fossil fuels. Recent studies have also shown that climate anxiety is common among students.

Why act?

• We are in a critical stage of the climate crisis, somewhat similar to the February 2020 stage of the Covid-19 crisis. Our actions today will shape the climate trajectory for decades, even centuries.
• Effective and economical solutions are available; political will is the only hurdle in the way. The USA and Australia lag other OECD nations in climate action.
• With federal climate policy in shambles, municipalities and states must take the lead; populous states like New York can make huge direct and indirect impacts.

Why buildings?

• Buildings account for a third of New York’s emissions; electrification and efficiency-enhancement of buildings are cost-effective ways of reducing emissions that also have tremendous health and economic benefits.
• Indoor and community pollution from on-site fossil-fuel combustion in New York results in roughly 2000 deaths and $22 billion in healthcare costs each year.
• New construction is low-hanging fruit; a new all-electric building costs less than a similar building equipped for on-site fossil-fuel combustion, with the exception of buildings with Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs).

Why now?

• Appliances last 10-15 years; buildings can last decades. Every new building with on-site fossil-fuel combustion is an avoidable costly mistake that locks in an unpredictable and polluting fuel for generations, or will require an expensive conversion in the future.
• Just like in the off-shore wind industry, New York is in a unique position to become a regional leader in all-electric building technologies. New York must seize this opportunity.