Environmental student groups across the nation will stage demonstrations throughout the next week at gas stations owned by one big oil company. Grinnell College student Lisa Stevens was among students who came to Ames this week to stage a protest. Stevens calls Exxon-Mobil “unique” in its bad influence on international climate policy, because it’s given millions to politicians to influence them to make poor decisions in America’s energy policy. Stevens admits the monetary influence of the oil company is nothing illegal. She says the company gives huge campaign contributions to influence congresspeople so they’ll make certain decisions on international climate policy like the Kyoto protocols. Stevens says Exxon-Mobil and other big corporations are the reason American didn’t sign the Kyoto protocol, which was aimed at tackling the problem of global warming. The Iowa students who organized the demonstration haven’t decided if they’ll make another appearance, but Stevens says some passersby honked in support as they held a demonstration with 20 or so students Thursday at a gas station on Lincoln Way in Ames.
