Lesa Schwartz - 8-13-2023 - Climate Reality

 CLIMATE REALITY 

Congressman Tom McClintock’s latest letter to his constituents explains the importance of “not hamstringing the economy with climate regulations.” He explains that we have experienced warm periods and major ice events before. But this is not the complete picture. Our planet has always gone through changes in climate, however, these changes in climate historically took hundreds of thousands to millions of years. 

The drastic changes happening now have taken place over the last hundred years or so and have brought about an increase of 2°F. This has occurred, for the most part, due to human-caused fossil fuel emissions. As a result, we are spending billions of dollars addressing the havoc that resulting extreme weather events have caused. 

In addition, the deadly effects to our health from these emissions costs us billions each year. Green energy solutions such as wind, water and solar technologies have the ability to create jobs, help our economy grow and make us a major player in the world of green energy production. We all need to understand what must be done. 

Most importantly, without intelligent, informed action from members of Congress, we will live on a planet that will be very difficult to inhabit. 

Lesa Schwartz Fresno

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article278148017.html#storylink=cpy

Bruce Ratcliffe - 7-9-2023 - Youth Voice on Global Warming

 

YOUTH VOICE ON GLOBAL WARMING

Fresno Bee, July 9, 2023

The Bee is to be commended for its recent publication of an Opinion piece by Shiv Mehrotra-Varma recounting his trip to Washington DC to lobby on behalf of Citizens Climate Lobby. Considering his age, his writing is stellar, but far more impressive is his dedication to urging our representatives to support climate action. My sister's daughter recently confessed she was jealous of her parents, who are in their 70's, because "You'll be dead before it gets really bad." Shiv is sixteen.  His impressive motivation makes even more sense:  He'll be around a long, long time.

Bruce Ratcliffe, Fresno

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article277074883.html

Shiv Mehrotra-Varma - 6/30/2023. Fresno teen walks U.S. Capitol’s halls to bring a message about climate change

 

Fresno Bee

July 9, 2023

Fresno teen walks U.S. Capitol’s halls to bring a message about climate change | Opinion

My heart races as I stroll briskly past the U.S. Capitol, sweat dripping down my back. The unforgiving heat does nothing to stem the surges of nervous adrenaline running through my veins. The grandeur of the place stirs me, yet its ostentation pales in comparison to the weight of the mission I carry: advocating for urgent climate action. As a 16-year-old from Fresno, I grew interested in learning about environmental issues when I witnessed the beauty of our national parks being threatened and local communities destroyed by a series of wildfires that ravaged central California in recent years. I never imagined my evolving passion for the environment wound send me to the epicenter of American political power — D.C. — in a bid to voice my concerns about the impending climate catastrophe.

My fully funded trip was courtesy of Citizen’s Climate Lobby’s; I’m the co-leader of the Fresno Youth Action Team. We’re an international organization, with a shared vision to address the climate crisis through meaningful action. Our lobbying efforts specifically focused on clean energy permitting reform, aimed at accelerating the process of building infrastructure for renewable energy sources, and the EICDA, which is designed to place a fee on carbon emissions while generating revenue to be returned to households as a dividend. My journey to the Capitol, accompanied by fellow CCL members, was dedicated to urging the passage of nonpartisan pro-climate bills. This nonpartisanship is what I admire most about CCL. People can have their own opinions; that’s one of the most crucial aspects of democracy. But my fellow lobbyists and I understood that to tackle a problem as momentous as climate change, we all need to come together as a united front. The importance of this front was underscored during the CCL conference, in the days of preparation leading up to Lobby Day. I encountered some of the most diligent and determined people I’ve ever met there. Among them were representatives from Ghana, who taught me that environmental degradation is not just a regional or national crisis, and CCL higher-ups from diverse backgrounds, who taught me that anyone can make an impact.

I had the privilege of meeting with four congressmen and their staffers on lobby day. The meetings were not without their challenges. While many congressional offices were warm and welcoming, several openly scoffed at the thought of supporting our main requests. I stuttered at first, but with each meeting — even the most demoralizing ones — I grew more confident in utilizing the skills I’d learned as a debater in high school and during the conference. Each skeptical glance and dismissive comment served as a stark reminder of the uphill battle we were fighting.

And each interaction taught me something valuable. The congressmen, even those who disagreed, showed me the complexity of the decision-making process. Each voice had its own priorities, its own concerns. I learned the importance of understanding their perspective, not just promoting my own. As the youngest in the room, I wasn’t just representing myself or CCL — I was representing a generation, one that will inherit the consequences of decisions made today. I finished the trip off with a bang by facing a fear that may even be shared by some congressional members: public speaking. Cracking (dumb) jokes in front of a thousand other CCL members while recounting my experiences was daunting, and perhaps a bit embarrassing, but I am so grateful for the warm reception my comments received. Today, I’m not just a 16-year-old from Fresno, but a climate advocate and youth leader committed to inspiring my generation to act for a more sustainable future. And I plan to fight for this cause for the rest of my life. This story was originally published June 30, 2023, 5:30 AM.

Shiv Mehrotra-Varma

Andrea De Zubiria - 4/11/2023 - After a three-year pandemic break, Earth Day Fresno returns this month at City College

 After a three-year pandemic break, Earth Day Fresno returns this month at City College

by Andrea De Zubiria

April 11, 2023

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article274205340.html

I grew up in the ‘70s with Woodsy Owl saying “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute”, the crying “Indian” public service announcements and Smokey the Bear cavorting with Disney animals to tell us that only we could prevent forest fires. I had no idea that such “environmentalist” messages were kind of a new thing at the time.

I also did not know that prior to the 1970s there were minimal legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect the environment. Imagine a time when there was no Environmental Protection Act, no Clean Air Act and no Clean Water Act. Factories were free to spew pollutants into the air, urban water supplies were being contaminated with impunity, hardly any Americans had heard of recycling and the pesticide DDT (along with lax hunting laws) almost wiped out the bald eagle.

But in 1962, Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring,” about the indiscriminate use of pesticides, brought attention to the interdependence of humans and nature. Then some dramatic disasters like a giant oil spill around Santa Barbara and a contaminated river that burst into flames near Cleveland heightened Americans’ awareness of our effect on the air and water that we depend on.

As a result of heightened public concern, Republican President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency in December 1970. According to the EPA, he presented the House and Senate “ a groundbreaking 37-point message on the environment. “ These points included: requesting $4 billion dollars for the improvement of water treatment facilities; asking for national air quality standards and stringent guidelines to lower motor vehicle emissions; launching federally-funded research to reduce automobile pollution; ordering a clean-up of federal facilities that had fouled air and water; seeking legislation to end the dumping of wastes into the Great Lakes; proposing a tax on lead additives in gasoline; forwarding to Congress a plan to tighten safeguards on the seaborne transportation of oil; and approving a national contingency plan for the treatment of oil spills.

Back in 1970, April 22 was chosen for Earth Day because it was between spring break and midterms, which would make it easier for students to participate. So it is fitting that this year, Earth Day Fresno will occur on the campus of Fresno City College on Saturday April 22. This is a free family friendly event sponsored by the Environmental Collaborative of Central California and Fresno City College’s Division of Math, Science and Engineering. There will be entertainment and educational booths. Citizens’ Climate Lobby Fresno will be there with opportunities to tell your members of Congress to support legislation that lowers greenhouse gases in our atmosphere like healthy forests, urban trees, electrification and carbon pricing. A yard sale at CCLF’s booth will raise funds to send area young people to attend a conference and meet with our members of Congress in Washington, D.C. You can visit with other Earth Day Fresno participants, like The Central Valley Young Environmental Advocates and learn about the critical work of the San Joaquin Valley Air District. There will also be vendors, food trucks, electric vehicle test drives, a bike clinic, kids activities and more.

April offers more local events to honor Earth Day and to learn about environmental challenges and solutions that we can all participate in. These include: Fresno Interfaith Climate Summit, Saturday, April 15, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno Earth Day at Fresno State, Wednesday, April 19, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (near the bookstore) Twenty million people participated in the activities and “teach-ins” on America’s first Earth Day. It is now estimated by EarthDay.org that a whopping 1 billion people will participate in Earth Day activities in 193 countries. Due to the pandemic, the last Earth Day Fresno was in 2019 at Radio Park, so you won’t want to miss the come-back event April 22 at Fresno City College, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Andrea De Zubiria is the group leader for the Fresno Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which helps pass legislation that supports climate change solutions.

Ken Wall - 2-22-2023 - Housing projects in Fresno that add to sprawl deny the reality of climate change

 

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article272572379.html

Housing projects in Fresno that add to sprawl deny the reality of climate change

By KEN WALL FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Ever wonder who pays for sprawl? Sprawl costs everyone who lives in and travels around the Fresno region with traffic congestion and increased air pollution, but it turns out we all offer financial support as well. I read the news that the Biden administration has set aside $25 million for road improvements in rural Madera County, specifically getting a four-mile stretch of Highway 41 between Avenues 12 and 15 freeway-ready. The primary purpose of this project is said to be for “improving access to some of the fastest-growing communities in Madera County.” There has been considerable residential development in that general area in recent years, so it’s no wonder there is now more traffic congestion. It seems federal taxpayer money is to be used to solve the traffic congestion problem created by sprawl. As an aside, any traffic congestion relief from higher-capacity roads is apparently temporary. According to Matt Turner, a PhD economist who studies such things, “If you keep adding lanes because you want to reduce traffic congestion, you have to be really determined not to learn from history.” Roadway expansion apparently does not relieve traffic congestion, at least not for long.

A recent Fresnoland article described the potential 1,000-acre Leo Wilson project on a rural part of Sheppard Avenue near Clovis. The article says that taxpayer money from Measure C in the amount of $33 million was earmarked for this project, not only for road improvements, but to fund high-speed internet access for the new development’s residents. Measure C, the Fresno County transportation sales tax, was up for early renewal in the November 2022 election, but came up short of the required two-thirds majority. During the same election, Madera County’s version of a transportation measure funded by sales taxes, Measure T, failed to achieve enough voter support and was turned down. To me, residential development in the two areas I described represents sprawl. Sprawl contributes to climate change and more air pollution primarily because it encourages more vehicle traffic to and from outlying areas. Sprawl also can have a negative impact on the quality of communities far from the new developments because the transportation needs of existing neighborhoods often are neglected, over time, in favor of newer, more affluent developments in rural areas.

It is helpful to remember that Measures C and T provide funding for transportation projects using a sales tax, a type of tax that imposes an equal burden on all purchasers of goods subject to the tax. Accordingly, such a tax is a relatively heavier financial burden for lower-income residents than for higher-income residents because they can less afford higher prices; air quality is also worse for residents in lower-income communities. I wonder if this is what the voters felt or had in mind when they voted down renewal of Measure C and implementation of Measure T in November. I wonder if voters are convinced that, with the evident local and federal political support for sprawl, there is no way to stop rapid residential developments in Fresno / Madera agricultural areas. But maybe voters are saying no to using local taxpayer money, raised through regressive sales taxes, to contribute to the sprawl, no matter what other good outcomes Measures C and T might have achieved. It’s clear that climate change is upon us, and that a rapid and effective response from all levels of government is required to limit the impact of the changing climate. Continuing the business-as-usual approach to land use and transportation decisions, specifically encouraging sprawl, is inconsistent with the climate challenges we see now and with others that are surely coming. That it causes additional grief to lower-income communities makes it even worse to continue the sprawl mindset.

Measures C and T, and federal transportation spending, should reflect these realities, with decisions that avoid sprawl and which benefit existing communities. Deciding to curtail sprawl likely would lead to entirely different ways of thinking about planning transportation projects that do not contribute to climate change, poor air quality or the neglect of existing communities in Fresno and Madera counties. That would be worth considering.

C.J. Wilson - 1-29-2023 - A Call To Plant More Trees

 January 29, 2023  

The Fresno Bee

A Call To Plant More Trees

I don’t think I need to remind anyone in the valley that the last few weeks have been wet. While some have (rightfully) pointed out the climate change connection to this spate of storms, it’s important to note that there are solutions we can use alongside fossil fuel reduction.

One that stands out is tree planting and healthy forest maintenance. Healthy foliage is among the strongest buffers to flooding we can hope for: it soaks up the water, breaks up the flow, and spreads out the rainfall. But, after decades of drought and mismanagement, we’ve lost millions of trees in the Sierras and the Central Valley. That’s to say nothing of the lack of urban tree cover in Fresno’s poorer districts.

Luckily, this is a problem with palatable and direct solutions. All of us can take part in helping to strengthen our forests and increase urban tree cover, either on our own or by joining groups like Citizens' Climate Lobby, who has recently launched a new Healthy Forest Initiative. Not only will this reduce the impact of floods: it’ll clear up the Valley’s notoriously bad air and give us shade during our infernal summers. 

https://eedition.fresnobee.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=d64a689b-eac4-46b5-b76a-4f687dbdd21f

C.J. Wilson

Don Gaede - 1-7-2023 - A healthy climate for our children

 Bakersfield Californian.  Jan 7, 2023

https://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/letters-to-editor/letter-to-the-editor-a-healthy-climate-for-our-children/article_9351a1d0-8d36-11ed-9e6b-479b76db2192.html?fbclid=IwAR0PlxGS-TxHCeuo621_p4lCq-uS3WNaojDe13vBI-RxBJc1n4Swg2wd_WM 

A healthy climate for our children

After years of drought in California, I was dubious when I first read the study published by the California Department of Water Resources that said catastrophic flooding in California is becoming much more likely as our planet heats up due to buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

In 1861-1862, incessant rains transformed the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys into a vast inland sea, and inundated the now densely populated areas of Los Angeles and Orange counties. The study pointed out that because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, and because precipitation in the Sierras will tend to be in the form of rain instead of snow, the risk of such a once-in-a-millennium flood will greatly increase if climate change is not addressed. The “bomb cyclones” we’ve recently experienced may be the first sign of more extreme events to come.

The good news is that effective climate solutions are available — but the bad news is that the political will to implement them is often lacking. I encourage folks to join groups such as Citizens’ Climate Lobby, where your voice will be amplified as we work to preserve a healthy, stable climate for our children and grandchildren.

— Don Gaede, San Luis Obispo