Valley congressmen should support renewable energy
bill
The Fresno Bee - 27 Jul 2019BY PAULINA
TORRES
I have lived in Terra Bella, a quiet and close-knit town
of a little over 3,000 people in Tulare County, for the past six years. My
hard-working parents, like most people in Terra Bella, pick the fruits and
vegetables that are bound for markets all over the world. As the 18-year-old
daughter of a low-income Latino family, the last place I would have imagined
myself was lobbying Congress about climate change in Washington,
D.C.??But on June 8, I traveled to the Capitol with four other
volunteers from the??Central Valley thanks to a student scholarship from
Citizens??? Climate Lobby. Just a few weeks after graduating from high school, I
was lucky enough to attend the 10th Annual International Climate Change
Conference and Lobby Day and meet with members of Congress in the House of
Representatives.
As a millennial and part of the future of this country,
the constant threat of climate change is something that worries me. I know many
young adults feel the same way. It was reassuring to meet other young people
when I was in Washington who are also working towards solutions. Global warming
and the changes it is causing to our climate are no longer possible to ignore.
The science has been proven and we can see the effects around us. The average
temperature is hotter than ever, which affects our air quality. Glaciers are
melting and fires, floods and storms are more frequent and more
intense.
I have learned that the communities most affected by
global warming and air pollution are those just like mine ??? under-resourced,
low income, undereducated communities of color. I have seen how these categories
can lead to a mentality of either denial or conformity. Either mentality can
stop people like me from seeing problems and using our voices to impact the
future. I used to feel discouraged from discussing religion or politics. But the
more I learned about climate change, the more I felt I had a mission to make an
impact on the way we are addressing this worldwide problem.
The democratic process of our country is inspiring to me.
And even though I have felt intimidated at times, I feel proud and humbled to
help my community to use its voice to support effective action to protect us
from the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.??I went to D.C. to learn
and also to encourage Congress to support a bipartisan bill, HR 763, the Energy
Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Instead of telling people what they can or
can???t do or buy, this bill uses a market-driven solution to encourage
innovation. This will help us use more renewable sources of energy that will do
less harm to our air, water and soil.??
This past year, I started giving presentations about
climate change in my area. The student governments of three Porterville high
schools (Summit Academy Charter School, Harmony Magnet Academy, and Granite
Hills) have now endorsed the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend
Act.??HR763 will be good for people because it is predicted to lower
greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in just 12 years. On top of that, all of
the money from the fees on carbon emissions goes back to all Americans to spend
any way they choose. 2.1 million jobs new jobs are expected, many from the extra
spending power people will have from the dividend. Everyone will benefit but
this will especially help low- and middleincome people.
Although the Energy Innovation Act in Congress is a huge
step in the right direction, our local members of Congress are still hesitant to
cosponsor HR 763. We need them to act before the damage of global warming and
the changes it is causing to our environment get worse.
I will be leaving Terra Bella for college in Los Angeles
soon, but I will never forget about my family, my town, or my community. They
are counting on me to work hard, succeed and to help them to have a voice for a
healthy future. That???s why I am asking Valley Representatives TJ Cox, Jim
Costa, Kevin McCarthy, Tom McClintock and Devin Nunes to help Valley residents
by supporting this bipartisan bill.
Paulina Torres is a recent graduate of Summit Academy
Charter School in Porterville. She will be attending UCLA in the fall as a
political science major. She enjoys playing soccer, practicing guitar, and
spending time with family. She is a volunteer with Citizens??? Climate Lobby in
Fresno.
