Weekly News Roundup – September 21, 2012

Want to know what National Wildlife Federation was up to this week? Here is a recap of the week’s NWF news:

NWF Hails Designation of Colo.’s Chimney Rock as National Monument a Significant Milestone

September 21 – The designation of Colorado’s Chimney Rock as a national monument is a significant milestone for Native Americans and the communities that have sought the change, said Garrit Voggesser, the National Wildlife Federation’s National Director of Tribal Partnerships.

President Barack Obama signed a proclamation Friday to establish the southwest Colorado site as the country’s newest national monument.

The site, with the twin pinnacles of Chimney Rock and Companion Rock, has strong cultural and spiritual significance for Native Americans. It was home to ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians.

NWF’s Danielle Moodie-Mills Named One of the Most Influential African Americans in America

September 21 – National Wildlife Federation is pleased to announce that Danielle Moodie-Mills, Director of Education Advocacy was named to The Root 100, a list of the top African American influencers ages 25-45. The Root is the leading online source of news and commentary from an African-American perspective, and is owned by the Washington Post.

This year, Danielle Moodie-Mills joins the ranks of MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry, Former NFL player and LGBT advocate Wade Davis II, and fellow environmentalist Van Jones as one of The Root’s 100 most influential and powerful leaders in the African-American community.

New Report Warns of Oil, Gas and Coal Companies’ Influence in Elections

September 20 – Students around the nation were urged to take the election back from undue influence of oil, gas and coal companies who are spending unprecedented amounts of money to influence the 2012 elections. Energy Action Coalition’s Power Vote campaign, a national student oriented advocacy movement, was backed by a report issued today from the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Program. The report is aimed at college students, most of whom are voting for the first time. The report warns that youth have the biggest stake in the election, since they will inherit problems like global warming if they are not addressed immediately.

“Oil, gas, and coal companies want to make the odds seem too overwhelming for the rest of us to affect change in the fight to combat climate change,” said NWF president and CEO Larry Schweiger in unveiling the report.

NWF’s Eco-Schools Programs Gets Even Cooler With New Cool School Challenge Program

September 18 – Amid extreme weather events and an ever-increasing need to be vigilant about developing solutions to climate change, educators may be wondering how they can incorporate climate responsibility into their schools’ curricula.