Devin Carroll - 5-29-2020 - U.S. must have carbon-fee system

U.S. must have carbon-fee system

May 29, 2020

Citizens’ Climate Lobby of Fresno thanks Rep. Jim Costa for co-sponsoring H.R. 4051, the Climate Action Rebate Act.
CARA is similar to our preferred legislation, H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
Both acts charge gradually increasing fees to producers of oil, coal and natural gas based on the carbon dioxide released when these fuels burn.

EICDA returns all of the money to the people as dividends. CARA returns 70% as dividends to low- and middle-income residents. Another 20% goes to infrastructure, 5% to investments in clean energy and energy innovation, and 5% to transition assistance.
Economists agree that carbon fees are the most effective and market-friendly method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Congress should pass this kind of legislation.

Devin Carroll, Fresno

 https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article243057891.html

Read more here: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article243057891.html#storylink=cpy

Matt Armstrong - 5-20-2020 - Music and climate change impact

Music and climate change impact
May 20, 2020

Fender, the guitar manufacturer behind the iconic instruments played by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brad Paisley, and so many others, is the latest company to announce that it is having to adapt to climate change. Fender recently announced that it will phase out the use of ash wood in the bodies of their guitars. Ash is believed by many players to be a key part of a Fender guitar's bright and distinctive sound.
I am not assuming that climate change led to this decision — Fender named the cause. Warmer weather resulting in tree-damaging insect outbreaks and increasingly common flooding has damaged the available sources of ash. What this means for music lovers is that, whether you like the country twang of a Telecaster, surf guitar solos on a Jazzmaster, blues wailing on a stratocaster, or hard rock riffs belted out on a partscaster, your music is hurt by climate change.
Companies like Fender are taking this seriously, but not Washington, D.C. Call your congressional representative to demand action. If you aren't going to fight for the future of your family or the planet, then fight for the future of rock and roll.

Matt Armstrong, Fresno

https://tinyurl.com/ycmd69ao

Dave Pickford - 5-10-2020 - Work together, not against each other

Work together, not against each other

5-10-2020

After more than a month’s time that we have spent socially restricted, maybe it is time to look at this free time we have and understand that this, like the virus, will not last forever either. We have a limited lifespan, so maybe this coronavirus has given us a chance to consider how we are spending our time now.

If you have spent the time getting to know your family better, read a few more books, exercised more consistently, ate better by cooking more of your meals, learned to relax, talked more to relatives that are not close by, contributed to critical charities, then you have not wasted the time.

What world leaders need to do now, in addition to figuring out strategies for economic recovery, is take a few of those experts and have them work together with other learned individuals and start revving up strategies for the effects of climate change. The same energy individuals are putting into creating a vaccine and appropriate testing, producing more protective gear and masks, building more ventilators, that sense of urgency could be summoned with another group of international experts to work on climate solutions.

Working together rather than competing against each other seems to be the message nature is sending us. Hurry up, there is not any time to waste.

Dave Pickford, Clovis

https://eedition.fresnobee.com/ccidist-replica-reader/?epub=https://eedition.fresnobee.com/ccidist-ws/mcclatchy/mcclatchy_frs_newsbroad/issues/25666/&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpc3MiOiJNY0NsYXRjaHkiLCJzdWIiOiI1MDAyNzU3ODYiLCJwdWJzIjp7ImZyZXNub19mcnNfbmV3c2Jyb2FkIjpbIkFMTEZSUy01MDMyIiwiZWVkaXRpb24iXX0sInNlc3Npb24iOjE1OTE3MDQ0MDgsImlhdCI6MTU4OTExMjQwOCwiZXhwIjoxNTg5MTEzMzA4fQ.-VNCH56Nm_aB51h_SaQ7SwTkYCG9JjcF6qCr5pBKvX8#/articles/35