Ted Hamilton - 10-21-2015 - Clean Energy Creates Jobs

Clean energy creates jobs

I wish to address points put forth by Michael Freeman in his letter, “Green energy costs jobs” (Oct. 11). As 97 percent of climate scientists have been warning us, global CO2 levels continue to rise from the burning of fossil fuels, which are heating the planet and creating melting glaciers, extreme weather and ocean acidification. Clearly, we need to drastically reduce fossil-fuel emissions and promote clean energy alternatives.

Mr. Freeman criticizes Germany for the “unreliability” of its renewables and its “erratic energy availability” leading to “high unemployment.” Germany’s unemployment rate (4.5 percent) is better than that of its neighbors in the European Union. Germany meets 78 percent of its electricity demand with renewable sources, exceeding the previous record of 74 percent set in May of 2014.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s proposal for a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend is designed to give all revenues collected from pricing carbon emissions back to American households. A study by Regional Economic Models, Inc. shows that the CCL proposal will sharply reduce CO2 levels and add 2.8 million jobs in 20 years by promoting clean energy.

Ted Hamilton, Atascadero

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article40530378.html

Ruth Afifi - 10-18-2015 - Vote for the Gibson Resolution

Vote for the Gibson Resolution 

10-18-2015

Nine years ago, California legislators had the wisdom and courage to pass a landmark climate change bill – the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32). Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it, and four years later, California voters decisively defeated a proposition to suspend it. 

Last week, thanks to Andrea Castillo’s article in the Oct. 7 Bee, we learned that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will support a local project to convert food and agricultural waste to biomethane, “a low greenhouse gas-emitting fuel.” This local program will annually divert more than 65,000 tons of carbon dioxide because of California’s determination to apply global-warming solutions. 

Now we need California’s congressional representatives to promote federal action on climate change. For starters, they can sign the Republican-authored Gibson Resolution (House Resolution 424). This non-binding resolution recognizes the government’s responsibility to deal with climate change, which the resolution says will “saddle future generations with costly economic and environmental burdens.” 

By signing onto the Gibson Resolution, the Valley’s representatives will show true leadership on the great issue of our time.

RUTH AFIFI, FRESNO

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article39484254.html 

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article39484254.html#storylink=cpy

Don Gaede - 10-19-2015 - Fossil fuel fee would benefit rich and poor.

Fossil fuel fee would benefit rich and poor

October 19-20 2015

Michael Freeman is concerned that putting a fee on fossil fuels would “harm the poor disproportionately” (letter Oct. 11). Initially, I had that concern also.
But last year, the non-partisan Regional Economic Models Inc. examined the proposal by Citizens’ Climate Lobby to return all fees from fossil fuels to American households in equal shares. REMI found that in this scenario, two-thirds of households would actually come out ahead. This is because the wealthy have a larger carbon footprint (they tend to buy more goods, take more plane trips, etc.).
After 10 years of a slowly rising carbon fee and dividend, average annual incomes would rise by more than $500 per person. By putting more money in the pockets of people, this policy would stimulate job-creating investments.
Burdensome government regulations could go away, since market forces alone would encourage any form of low-carbon energy production, including solar and wind energy, natural gas, nuclear energy and geothermal energy.
But what is the most important dividend of this policy? After 20 years, U.S. CO2 emissions would be cut to half of their 1990 levels. That’s something that would benefit all of us, both rich and poor.

Don Gaede, Fresno

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article39373995.html#storylink=cpy

Bryan Apper - 10-23-2015 - Valley Farms are in Peril

Valley farms are in peril

October 23-24, 2015

Pope Francis asked us, “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” noting that the environment is on loan to each generation.
Valley farms are already hard hit by the multiyear drought. For the second year in a row, no water from the Central Valley Project is available to the Westlands Water District. Much of that farmland is fallow, while groundwater pumping is used for the rest.
The strongest El Niño since 1997 may bring a lot of rain. However, we need a strong and consistent Sierra snowpack to ensure adequate water supply. Climate change models predict that reduced snow pack and increased wildfires will become the norm. If global temperatures continue to rise, we may be looking at 20- to 40-year droughts, which occurred here during a period of warmer temperatures about 900 years ago.
A threat to the generation-to-generation continuity of the family farm should be a wake-up call to all of us.

Bryan Apper, St. Benedict Catholic Worker

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article41023560.html

Connie Young 10/9/2015 Learn from South Carolina’s mistakes on climate change

Learn from South Carolina’s mistakes on climate change

Online 10/9/15   Print 10/10/15

In 2010, South Carolina Republican Bob Inglis lost his bid for re-election to the House of Representatives in part because he spoke out about the need to address climate change. For that reason, Mr. Inglis was this year’s recipient of the John F. Kennedy Library’s prestigious Profile in Courage Award, given to a public servant who takes a principled but unpopular position.

This week, as they struggle with historic rainfall and flooding, many South Carolinians may be wishing they had elected Mr. Inglis instead of his short-sighted opponent. By heeding climate science, Mr. Inglis might have ensured that the state was better prepared for extreme weather. Equally important, he would have have advocated for Congressional action on climate change.

As we Californians cope with mega-fires and the hottest and driest three years in 12 centuries, we can learn from South Carolina’s mistake. Let’s find out what our members of Congress think and are doing about climate change. Locally, constituents of Congressmen Kevin McCarthy, Tom McClintock and Devin Nunes can urge them to support the Republican-sponsored Gibson resolution (HR 424), which calls for Congressional action on climate change.

All politicians want to be on the right side of history. This is their chance!

Connie Young

Victor Kral - 10-5-2015 Make big polluters pay, give money back to consumers

 Make big polluters pay, give money back to consumers

In contrast to the belief that dependency on high carbon-producing energy sources will ensure economic benefits to those living in poverty, the pope brought out a different perspective.

Dependency on coal, gas and oil will further erode the living standards of the poor. Reducing traditional energy dependence and moving to solar, wind and other less-damaging resources will improve the economics of the poor, with jobs in new industry, less forest devastation, better fishing opportunities and lower health costs for everyone. 

Citizens Climate Lobby proposes fees, charged to present-day big polluters, be returned directly to consumers, thus helping everyone. Now that is religion.

Victor Kral
October 5, 2015
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article37868727.html

Pete Moe 9-29-2015 Nunes should support environmental protections

Nunes should support environmental protections 

On Sept. 24, Pope Francis addressed a joint session of our Congress with a thrilling and uplifting vision of the future.

One of his major points was protection of the earth and climate. The pope stated, “In Laudato Si’, I call for a courageous and responsible effort to ‘redirect our steps’, and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States – and this Congress – have an important role to play.”

Immediately after this historic speech, Congressman Devin Nunes was interviewed by NPR. He said, “Everybody here wants to protect the environment. The question is, does global warming really exist? You know, I think that’s still left out there. But in terms of protecting the environment, that’s something Republicans and Democrats all want to do.”

I am very pleased Rep. Nunes wants to protect our environment. The newly introduced Gibson Resolution states that Congress should take action on “mitigating efforts and efforts to balance human activities that have been found to have an impact.” I encourage Rep. Nunes to endorse this Republican-authored and supported resolution.

Pete Moe, Clovis
September 29, 2015
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article36877989.html

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article36877989.html#storylink=cpy