We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day today.
Today we have dramatically reduced the carbon in the air because people are not driving or flying. These climate benefits we are seeing have mostly been on the backs of the poor, people of color and other disenfranchised communities. The response should be to improve health for all which should include stopping fossil fuel production as a major piece. If we can do this in a pandemic, we are perfectly capable of doing what is necessary to save our planet for our youth.
Jamie Margolin our local 18-year-old climate activist in a recent piece in The Herald pointed out what this country can do in a crisis. Jamie said, “This pandemic has brought business as usual to an official halt. When the worst of the illness has passed, instead of rushing to return to ‘normal’ the old, comfortable pattern of destroying the planet, we can take this opportunity to restructure our economy and society in a way that will ensure today’s children can live.”
Climate scientists tell us we have at the most 10 years to turn around how we live and the type of energy we use to save our planet. Solutions are: windmills, solar panels, invest in electrified rapid transit and trains. Work from home, drive less. Transition to regenerative agriculture. Hold fossil fuel companies and elected officials accountable. Demand the Green New Deal.
Now is the time for us to re-imagine and re-invent a more sustainable, just and humane society. We cannot return to our old “normal.” It would be profoundly unjust. In the 1930s we made transformational changes in response to the Great Depression. We can make transformational changes to save our planet for all our young people.
Clara Cleve
Edmonds
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