| Climate change is here. Yes, I know there are some who still deny it, but they are either simply ignorant or have ulterior motives.
The carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere is rising faster and higher than it has in more than 400,000 years. Global temperatures are rising in response to increases in carbon dioxide, methane and other heat-trapping gases, which are added to our atmosphere principally by human activities involving energy use: the burning of oil, coal, natural gas and gasoline to power our industries, homes and vehicles. The poles are heating up especially fast and arctic ice is melting at an accelerating rate. Daytime temperatures are rising measurably, nighttime temperatures are rising even faster, spring is coming earlier, summer is lasting longer, and numerous other signs reveal major and rapid changes in our climate system.
Such changes have happened before in the earth's history, but never so fast. Our nation is one of the most substantial contributors to these events. The United States is the world's foremost producer of heat-trapping gases - and guess which state releases more of these gases, per capita, than any other state in the nation? Yes: Florida.
The seriousness of the growing threat of climate change is recognized by 150 nations - but not the United States - and they are beginning to take action on their own. They have signed and are implementing the Kyoto Treaty, which limits outputs of heat-trapping gases. Climate Action Plans with the same objective have been completed by 28 states - but not Florida.
Citizens' groups are attempting to help. The Apollo Alliance is a broad coalition of labor, environmental, business, urban and faith communities that support good jobs and energy independence. Members include General Electric, British Petroleum and other large corporations as well as most national environmental organizations and many international labor unions including the AFL-CIO.
The Apollo Alliance asserts that a shift away from oil, coal and gas to renewable fuels could mean a lot to Florida: an added $10 billion of economic activity, more than 150,000 new jobs, and $6.5 billion more income. But if you check the Alliance's Web site (www.apolloalliance.org) for what's happening in Florida, you read "We are not currently active in your state."
Why? Could it be that Florida's governor and legislators don't care about the threats to our lives and property? How unfortunate, considering the economic development opportunities we are missing by not joining the energy-efficiency bandwagon.
Some cities - but not Tallahassee - are taking action on their own. A news item on May 15 indicated that the mayors of 132 U.S. cities had joined a bipartisan coalition to abate climate change. Altogether, these cities represent 29 million citizens in 35 states.
In Tallahassee, though, a call to the City Commission reveals that whereas each commissioner is an expert in several areas such as development regulations, aquifer protection and others, not one seems to have any interest in energy issues. Yet Tallahassee is the capital of the most energy-using state in the world's most energy-using nation.
Tallahassee, where are you? When will you wake up?
Churches and synagogues are also getting involved. A coalition that calls itself the Interfaith Climate Change Network asserts that "the impacts of global warming will fall most heavily on the world's poor," and is reaching out to power companies and automobile manufacturers to take steps to reduce their fuel use. The National Association of Evangelicals, an organization of 51 denominations that represents 30 million people, is calling upon individuals and the government to take specific steps to be responsible stewards of God's creation.These steps include, first and foremost, reducing our fossil fuel use.
Many other national and international groups are also aroused and taking action. I could go on, but you get the idea. Our nation, our state and our city are way behind the eight-ball in addressing an issue that promises to affect every one of us and generations to come, mostly in adverse ways. I call upon the governor, the Legislature, the mayor and our County and City commissions, as well as every citizen of Florida, to get busy and deal with the issue of climate change.
Ellie Whitney is a member of the Big Bend Climate ActionTeam (BigBendCAT@comcast.net).
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