Why have we done so little as a nation to combat global warming? Everyone from the National Academy of Sciences to the National Association of Evangelicals tells us that it’s high time we went to work cutting carbon-dioxide emissions, but nothing happens in Washington.
The oil and coal companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars urging our legislators to ignore the scientific reality, and so far they’ve been successful. As John McCain said a few years ago: “Until enough citizens who are voters care, then these special interests will be able to block any meaningful policy change. It’s as simple as that.”
So now it’s time to act. On Saturday, April 14, many of us will be gathering at Asheville City Hall at 1 p.m. to ask Congress to halt global warming by acting to cut America’s carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050.
Co-op America has a program for reaching that goal: Increase fuel economy for cars from an average of 30 miles per gallon to 60. Promote increased use of mass transit, telecommuting, walking and biking. Increase energy efficiency by one-quarter in existing buildings and appliances, with zero-emissions plans for new buildings. Decrease tropical deforestation to zero, and double the rate of new tree plantings. Stop soil erosion and encourage local, organic agriculture. Add 3 million 1-megawatt windmills. Add 3,000 gigawatt-peak solar photovoltaic units. Increase efficiency of coal plants from 32 to 60 percent and shut down plants that don’t meet the standard. Sequester carbon dioxide at existing coal plants. Develop zero-emissions vehicles powered by renewable energy. Develop biofuels as a short-term replacement for fossil fuel until better carbon-free technologies are developed—but only biofuels made from waste and made without displacing farmland and rainforests.
Think they won’t listen to us alone? Maybe not, but there are 1,200 other actions planned in every state of the union that same day. It will be the largest grassroots-political action about anything in many years, and it’s our best hope of making a difference.
I hope everyone who cares about these issues will join us that day. Together we have a chance.
— Cathy Holt
Asheville
