Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., urged Brandeis' members of the "green generation" to bring about what he called the "green revolution," the movement to save the environment, last Sunday in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, as part of Earthfest 2008.Markey is the chair of the Select Committee on Energy Interdependence and Global Warming, created by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He recently sponsored a bill setting the floor for gasoline efficiency in cars at 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

The main focus of Markey's address was global warming. "The truth is, the planet has a fever, but there are no hospitals for sick planets," he said, "We have to find a way of engaging in preventative planet health care," he said.

University President Jehuda Reinharz introduced Markey and applauded the environmental responsibility emphasized by Earthfest. He made clear that environmental conservation should not be confined to one week and that it's a daily responsibility.

"Every time I see a plastic bottle somewhere, my blood pressure goes up," joked Reinharz in reference to litter on campus, "I'm going to work to eliminate plastic bottles on this campus."

Markey immediately localized the issue, saying today's problem with the environment started in Waltham when Francis Cabot Lowell and James Moody cofounded the Boston Manufacturing Company. The first factory emitted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and since then, the amount of the gas in the air has risen from 280 parts per million to 380 parts per million, he said.

"All other problems in history will be a footnote if we cannot fix the environment," he said.

Markey stressed the role that young people have played in making important changes in the United States. Young people rose up and demanded civil rights, he said; young people protested the Vietnam War, and young people lead the campaign for women's suffrage.

The United States tries to persuade developing countries to curb carbon dioxide emissions, Markey said, but those other countries won't acquiesce unless the United States leads by example. Unfortunately, "Most of the CO2 is red, white and blue," he said, indicating that the majority of carbon emissions come from the United States and Europe.

Markey admonished the Bush administration for its stance on environmental protectionism, but said that any candidate elected to office, even Republican John McCain, will work to correct the issue.

Markey recounted his recent trip to Greenland with Pelosi, describing it as a block of ice 10 Empire State Buildings high and 1000 miles across. However, due to global warming, lakes are beginning to form on top of the glacier, he said.

"This is the scene of the crime; this is the canary in the mineshaft," said Markey. The lakes will eventually trickle down to the bottom of the ice cap, he said. As the water seeps underneath the icecap, it causes the glacier to slide into the ocean, he said. Rising sea levels can cause coastal communities to flood, displacing some of the most vulnerable residents.

The ice cap is also melting in Antarctica, he said, but this is not as important. The Antarctic ice cap is already in the water, so when it melts, it will not cause the sea level to rise. "If the ice cubes melt in your glass, your drink doesn't go up," he said.

Markey said global warming will strike developing nations the hardest because they do not have the resources or the technology to adapt to changing conditions.

He said that when the Himalayan ice caps melt as temperatures increase, an abundance of water will feed the rivers, making India very fertile. However, when there is no more ice, the rivers will dry up, devastating the Indian economy.

"Each generation has been challenged by something the first governor of Massachusetts, [John Winthrop], called the test of answerable courage," he said. "Will the new generation have the courage to step up and answer that problem?" he asked.

Markey's lecture was followed by a forum discussion mediated by Prof. Michael Appell (IBS) featuring Dr. Mark Rentschler, director of institutional greening programs for Green Seal and Steven Strong, president and founder of Solar Design Associates. Green Seal is an organization dedicated to educating consumers about purchasing environmentally friendly products. Solar Design Associates is a firm that designs and builds solar-powered buildings and outfits existing buildings with solar panels.