Alumni Kia Jones Helps to Prevent Coal in Oakland

The Oakland City Council recently voted 7-0 to ban coal exports through the Port of Oakland. The debate on this issue has been contentious for the past several months.

The No Coal in Oakland campaign was a key player in impacting this decision. For more on this story, see this KQED article. This is a great victory, preventing CO2 pollution from coal which poses health and safety risks for Oakland residents.

Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion M.A. graduate (2016) Kia Jones worked closely with No Coal in Oakland as an intern with Interfaith Power and Light this spring and summer.

Interfaith Power and Light was one of the key organizations involved in the discussions. Kia worked closely with Oakland faith leaders and supporting the public education and information campaign on this issue. In a California Interfaith Power & Light article from February 2015, she reflected on her participation in the Faith Against Coal Press Conference.

Kia got involved in the campaign through her participation in the Touch the Earth practicum, a requirement in the Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion master's program.

Congratulations Kia for your hard work and dedication with this project. It's great to see Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion students making a difference in the world!