Christina Xenos/ THE POST
Environmental activists from across the nation join together in a parade during the ECOnference 2000 in Philadelphia. The activists, who included local environmentalists Chad Kister, Jadey Berger and Chris Crews, marched 17 blocks with national activist Wavy Gravy to city hall in protest on the Pennsylvania Electric Company and in support of the Dirty Jobs Boycott Sunday.

More than 700 students, five floats, the Lorax, Wavy Gravy and his companion Saul Bass gathered in the streets of downtown Philadelphia to march and make the city more aware of their cause.

"If it was not for this great crowd, we would not have this energy, enthusiasm and passion," said Heather Kunst, co-conference media coordinator of the ECOnference 2000, at the beginning of the parade.

As the finale of the conference, organizers welcomed all participants to march in the parade. The route started from the University of Pennsylvania campus and extended 17 Blocks to City Hall, where it ended with a rally.

During the parade, activists displayed signs from their various organizations and united as one force, by shouting chants such as "We are the people now is the time!"

Five huge blow-up floats also illustrated the activist's protest. There was a 24-foot Sports Utility Vehicle, a 20-foot Chainsaw, two Smoky Bear balloons, a dinosaur and a Gigantic Exxon Valdeez crashing through the earth.

"The conference focused on how to be a more effective organizer, environmentalist and activist and the things that you can do with these skills," said Jadey Berger, an Ohio University student activist who attended the conference. "Then they took all the energy built up in the conference and focused it on the parade and the rally."

The parade and rally mainly were organized to protest the Pennsylvania Electric Company and the lawsuit they filed against Pennsylvania, Berger said.

The issue involves PECO's monopoly on the Pennsylvania power industry. The state tried to force PECO to de-regulate and then PECO sued the state for $20 million in projected losses, Berger said.

"This is a very bad precedence to set because PECO is basically saying that you need to pay us to follow the law," she said.

So students came together to protest the issue through a march, with national political activist Wavy Gravy leading the parade, adorned in his customary clown attire.

"I realized that police do not want to hit you if you are dressed like a clown," Gravy said.

"Any time we can cause humor and creativity while making political statements more people will get involved," Gravy said.

His presence showed that activism transcends through all ages.

"Wavy Gravy definitely represents a history of activism and environmental issues," said Loren Finklestein, program director for Free the Planet. "He is also an inspiration to students and unites our generation with his."