Nicholas Polimeni is a first-year student and Create-X Scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology studying Electrical Engineering. He is interested in the intersection of technology, public policy, and social entrepreneurship and their implications on sustainability, social justice, and human development.
COVID-19 has shown us that the wellbeing of our communities is dependent on our relationship with, and respect for, the environment. For instance, an August 2020 Nature article explains why deforestation made a pandemic, like COVID-19, more likely (Tollefson). Deforestation, climate change, and pollution are not simply environmental problems- they are human ones, with real consequences on us, our loved ones, and our communities.
It is in this moment, when we are dealing with one crisis, that we will have the determination and experience to face the next- the environmental crisis.
Luckily, unlike COVID-19, climate change is directly caused by human activity, meaning that we have the tools to solve this crisis now.
One of the tools I support is the Energy Innovation Act. This bipartisan bill would put an increasing fee on emissions sources, encouraging the free-market to make the cost-competitive switch to sustainable production. The income from this fee will be provided directly and equally back to the American people. With more money in American's pockets, we can ensure that the temporary costs of a transitioning economy will not be put on our families. A recent Columbia University study found that emissions reductions from this bill will exceed the goals set by the Paris Accord, and a Regional Economic Models, Inc. study shows that the policy will add 2.8 million jobs to the American economy.
As a high-school student, I lobbied on Capitol Hill for this bill with a non-profit called Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Soon, I’ll be heading to college (via Zoom) with the goal of creating more tools to encourage a sustainable, equitable future.
Each of our paths will be different, but I hope that you can find a way to take action- not just for the Earth and all of its natural beauty, but for the wellbeing of the communities we call home.