Our Home is Burning: The connection between wildfires and climate change

Adrianna Schwaiger is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a participant in our Spring 2021 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

Dear Editor, 

The article published on February 6, “SoCal Edison, and other utilities spend $13 billion to reduce the risk of wildfires” addresses the issue of wildfires in California, and we cannot ignore the connection between wildfires and climate change. California has experienced record-setting fire seasons due to climate change, and it is clear that these fires are costly for both the economy and the environment. 

It is imperative that we reduce our carbon emissions to combat climate change and reduce the impacts of wildfires in California. As a resident of Murrieta, CA, I request that Rep. Ken Kalvert take action by supporting the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763). This policy will reduce America’s carbon emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years.

The only home we have is burning, and it is costing us billions of dollars. That is why we need to take immediate action against climate change by enacting bipartisan climate legislation like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

A New Year’s Resolution: Passing Beneficial Policy

Kali Pupo is a student at Juniata University in Pennsylvania and a participant in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

At last, it’s 2021. For many of us, the new year represents a reason to hope. With the new Congress sworn in, I’m urging Representative John Joyce and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to support and co-sponsor The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan policy puts a price on carbon emissions and returns the fees collected to households in the form of a monthly dividend.

Unlike regulations, this policy works with our free-market economy and won’t grow the size of government. Nor will this policy add to our giant national debt. This policy allows us to address climate change while boosting our economy and creating jobs. Overall, we’ll save billions of dollars every year and we will prevent the worst of climate change. And even better, the majority of people in our communities would soon benefit from the policy by getting extra money in their pockets each month. 

My new year's resolution is to fight harder for policies that will benefit our community and our economy. I hope I have that in common with Representative Joyce, Senator Casey, and Senator Toomey. 

Polar Plunges May Not Be So Polar Due To Climate Change

Ruth Metcalfe is a Kennebunk High School student who participated in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

It’s heartening to hear the annual (what I used to call) Polar Plunge in Kennebunk is still happening amidst the uncertainty of this year. As a student at Kennebunk High School, I’ve spent the past year learning about the effects of climate change on our precious coastline through a Gulf of Maine Studies course that connects the University of New England, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, and high school students in the pursuit of climate solutions and understanding. Cold waters seem inevitable in Maine, yet I am worried that our plunges in the Atlantic will become less and less chilly. Sea level rise and warming ocean temperatures threaten the basis of our coastal communities, which is why action on the legislative level is vital. 

I urge The Portland Press Herald to focus on the importance of these climate issues and solutions, one solution being H.R. 763: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Supporting local communities while protecting our oceans, this bill is exactly what Kennebunk and all coastal communities need for a chance at a sustainable future (and one that is not completely under water). I thank The Portland Press for keeping Mainers informed on local issues and look forward to news on climate solutions from Representative Pingree and Senators King and Collins. 

This is the article I choose to response to: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/12/29/community-news-88/ 

Name: “Atlantic Plunge scheduled for Saturday” - Portland Press Herald 

Has COVID-19 Helped or Harmed the Environment? It's Up to Us.

Elise Rueppel is a rising high school sophomore outside of Boston. She loves the outdoors and spends her summers hiking, kayaking, and camping.

If you are looking for a concrete answer there isn’t one. I believe that the real answer lies in what we have learned throughout the past six months and how dedicated we remain to the environmental movement through the ups and downs that are inevitable for the future due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. While we need to stay focused on the current public health crisis on our hands, we cannot forget about the climate crisis and the ways that COVID-19 responses have and will continue to have an impact. Let’s look at a few examples, If you remember back to the early days when “Quarantine,” and “Unprecedented” were new words, the world was in lockdown. Travel was frozen, and nobody was going to work or even the grocery store. This proved to be a great gift to the environment because emissions plummeted to amazingly low levels. This was because transport contributes to roughly 25% of the world’s emissions, which was reduced with the slim number of cars on the road and planes in the air. 

Industry contributes approximately 20% of emissions which was also reduced due to the shutdown of factories and businesses. In such a short period of time we were able to see how the environment was able to rebound, and many cities experienced their cleanest air ever. Unfortunately, while the world reopens, the levels have been rising again, although there is still a 5% reduction from the 2019 levels. This shows us what is possible, and highlights the need for clean, renewable energy going forward. However, there are negative implications of the pandemic as well. One in particular has been the disappearance of reusable bags, cups, straws, bowls, and so on. While this makes sense in eliminating the risk of spreading germs that pose a threat in a COVID-19 world, it feels like we are going backwards environmentally. It is important to recognize this, and remember how vital the return to reusable items will be when it is safe. Additionally, we know how important it is to wear a mask, but it is important to think about the kind of mask you are wearing and the impact it may have. Disposable masks are great for some instances, but the lack of proper disposal has led to unnecessary problems. Parking lots and streets lined with dirty masks are gross and unsanitary, but masks in the ocean are deadly. Not only do these masks contribute to the growing number of plastic pollution in the ocean that affects many species, but they also take about 450 years to decompose. 

Future generations will not only learn about the effects of COVID-19 in a textbook, but will also see remnants floating in their ocean. How can we avoid this? Disposing of your mask properly is one way, but an even better solution is buying or making your own reusable and washable mask. This is a great example of how to take a problem brought about by COVID-19 and manage it in an eco-friendly way. This is important because in the midst of a public health crisis the worst thing we could do would be to forget about the environmental crisis as well. 

On a different note, it would be easy to think that important legislations regarding climate have been put on the backburner due to the pandemic, but fortunately this summer we saw success. The Massachusetts State House passed a bill early August that outlines an emissions reduction roadmap for 2050 among many other things regarding climate action. This was a symbol that even in these trying times we still need to focus and work on climate issues. With state and national elections coming soon, it will be interesting to see how citizens show up and vote for climate in this COVID-19 era. 

As you can see, the results are mixed as to whether COVID-19 has helped or hurt the environment thus far.  Being aware of the affects the pandemic has had on the environment and working to figure out solutions that will benefit both crises is what is important. We cannot allow COVID-19 to stop us from fighting for the environment. Let’s kill COVID-19, not the environment.

Nature is Calling; Our Response Has Begun

Elise Molleur is a recent graduate of The University of Scranton a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and Philosophy. She grew up in Summit, NJ but has spent half of her life on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.

In a time where we have seemingly discovered a sense of normalcy in nature, we are reminded of the importance and versatility of the outdoors. As an environmentalist, my aim is to protect the physical health of nature; with a global deadly pandemic that lacks predictability and draws us to the freedom of the outdoors, I now understand how nature can stimulate and support our mental health. Demonstrated by the influx of individuals to beaches, parks, and forest trails throughout COVID-19 restrictions, we are reminded of the irreplaceable value of the great outdoors.

The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in June is a hopeful and progressive reassurance that we will not “return to normal” when restrictions are lifted, cases decline, and the nation can press play again. Rather, we will move forward with the environment as our priority after being reminded that it is a privilege. Though unfortunate that it took a relentless and erratic pandemic for us to recognize the amplitude of nature’s effects on our mental and physical health, we won’t end here. Nature is calling, and our response has begun.

We Aren't Just Fighting For Us

Grace Zhang is a rising senior at Hathaway Brown School, a private all girls high school in Shaker Heights, OH. She plans to study political science in college.

When I ask for tools to make a compelling argument, one of the most common answers is sharing my personal story, and when it comes to climate activism, it isn’t any different. And at first I thought “Nice! That sounds easy enough right?” But when it comes to my experience with climate change, I find that I have nothing worthy to share. “I have been incredibly lucky,” I think to myself. I read the news every morning and find the headlines dominated with the horrible effects of climate change. Wildfires are consuming California whole. Runoff from factory farms are creating algae blooms that are murdering hundreds of fish. Rising water levels are threatening to submerge entire communities and destroy livelihoods. Everyday I feel almost assaulted by negative news and suffering, but when I look outside my window, I see nothing resembling what I read about and inevitably, I move on.

However, I recognize this isn’t luck, it’s privilege. I recognize that with everything I have been blessed with, a nice house in a safe neighborhood, a quality education, a loving family, etc., I am able to effectively escape the consequences of climate change for now and continue my life in blissful ignorance.

The truth is too many of our personal stories look like mine. While the news shoves depressing headlines in our faces, the personal stories that we interact with more often don’t often leave space for the most marginalized and the most victimized by our destruction of the planet. We have the privilege to tune out these stories and fail to look beyond the safe confines of our little bubbles.

There’s also another problem whose consequences have become increasingly apparent over the course of this summer: police brutality. While the climate justice movement and Black Lives Matter seem to occupy completely different spheres, US climate activists have much to learn from those protesting for the end of police brutality. Similarly to my experiences with climate change, my experiences with police brutality are almost non-existent, and I’m sure that’s the same for many of you who are reading this. We could just as easily ignore it and move on with our lives. So why has BLM managed to acquire such mainstream support and incite widespread action?

I think the answer once again lies in stories. BLM has been able to do what we have not. They have elevated the stories of individuals and given a platform to the oppressed and victimized. They have done this so successfully in fact that when one thinks of BLM, they think of specific individuals and their experiences. These people’s pain and suffering suddenly seem so much less foreign and eventually, despite all our differences, it connects us all in our collective humanity. The movement reminds us that it’s about way more than any of us individuals, it’s about our responsibility to each other and in that way, our fight to stop climate change shouldn’t be any different. We also amplify the voices of those who are disproportionately affected by climate change and we have to realize that it's a problem that other, more powerful and privileged people contribute the most to. Just by looking at the world around us, we see that the most developed and wealthy countries continue to speed headfirst towards the destruction of the planet, while the poorer ones feel the effects of the crash.

We must also remember the systematic racism that led to BLM and so many movements before also deeply affects our cause as well. Unfortunately, some of the people that are hit hardest by climate change are also victims of the U.S’s bitter struggle with racism. They are the hardest hit by extreme weather, air pollution that leads to unnaturally high rates of asthma, highly dangerous water, etc., to the better world we all dream, it is essential that there is justice for them as well.

In order to successfully fight climate change, we have to look beyond our personal stories because we aren’t just fighting for us. We’re fighting for the entire world and every single living that calls our planet home. We must set aside all our differences and remember why we do what we do: to create a better Earth for all of us . The key to doing that is letting this movement become more than just ourselves.

Opinionated Facts and the Dilemma of Being a Modern Day Student

Remy Goldberg is a rising sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University from Northern New Jersey. He is currently studying Chemistry, Policy & Management, and Economics.

Climate change is an undeniable fact. California faced deadly and ecosystem-damaging wildfires near the end of 2019, only to be then followed by Australia wildfires and then more California wildfires. It seems that every year there are more severe hurricanes than the year prior. Western Europe is experiencing record breaking heat waves, reaching 38.7°C/101.6°F (CNN).  While there are still many people who deny the existence of climate change or claim it isn’t human-caused, it has been proven time and time again that these extreme weather patterns are not independent events, and they will become the new normal if nothing is done to curb climate change.

I spent my quarantine taking advantage of all the remote education possibilities I could find. I participated in the Climate Advocacy Training Program run by Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for U.S. national policy to address climate change. More specifically, CCL supports the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763); in short, this bill proposes putting a steadily increasing fee on fossil fuels and returns the funds raised back to the American public in the form of a dividend. It follows UN recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 40% in the next 12 years. 

As of right now, I’m a chemistry major in college/university, but I’m also considering switching to economics, policy, or even statistics. All I know is that I want to work on environmental sustainability. I was first drawn to science because it seemed like a way to contribute to climate solutions, but as I take classes and do my own research, I realized that there are already so many tangible, possible solutions out there. The struggle lies in implementation.

I imagine this is also a feeling shared with my fellow students, but it’s a really discouraging time to be a student in the world. Scientists and educators with expertise propose effective solutions to our world’s problems, yet they are hardly ever listened to. Even with a pandemic threatening every aspect of life, politicians are still skeptical about listening to epidemiologists because of economic and factual concerns.

It’s frustrating to aspire for a future career, yet know that no one will listen.

My hope for the future is that politicians and policymakers look towards experts for advice on how to deal with societal problems. Without a doubt, fact can and should be debated considering that bias in statistics and misinformation is rampant, but there shouldn’t be a blatant disregard for the research and new information. On the topic of the environment, we can’t keep ignoring our dire situation with the hope that it doesn’t actually exist or that it will magically fix itself. Our governments need to take tangible measures to reduce our carbon emissions, and in order for that to happen, we need to fight for change.

Now is the Time to Act: Better the Lives of ALL People

Abbey Serio is a student studying Geography and Environmental Planning and minoring in Business Administration at Sonoma State University in Northern California. In her free time, she loves to be outside as much as possible.

It is no secret that the effects of climate change have been and continue to disproportionately affect people of color and neighborhoods of color. In a recent article in the New York Times, How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering, Brad Plumer and Nadia Popovich narrate this fateful tale perfectly. These disproportionate repercussions began with the practice of redlining American cities throughout the twentieth century, deeming certain regions “hazardous” due to the amount of black residents. These so-called hazardous regions were also sites for the building of highways, warehouses, and other places that left little to no room for vegetation or greenspaces. Although this practice ended in the 1970s, many Americans are still feeling the wrath of redlining today. 

With global warming increasing, results of redlining practices are predicted to be exacerbated. The lack of greenspaces and the overwhelming presence of paved surfaces that absorb and radiate heat force residents that live in these areas to suffer from more cases of heat exhaustion and the detrimental side effects it is accompanied by, like cardiac arrest and respiratory diseases like asthma. In Richmond, Virginia, specifically the neighborhood of Gilpin, where the article’s data is sourced, something must be done for these communities being disproportionately impacted. Redlined cities like Gilpin on average, have temperatures that are five degrees warmer than greenland cities, since they have significantly less tree coverage. Cities of this nature are also more exposed to pollution from big construction projects occurring virtually in their backyards, and have no doctor’s offices or grocery stores with fresh produce nearby, further challenging the health of residents. It is unsafe for these residents to live like this, and it is simply not fair that they already are.

I believe that parks must be replenished, trees should be planted, and the local government needs to actively make an effort to decrease the amount of cement in any way possible. This is absolutely imperative for the health and well-being of these citizens. Holding a weekly local farmers’ market could dramatically improve the supply of fresh produce that the community is lacking. Additionally, if it is not possible to open a nearby doctor’s office, then offering free transportation to the offices closest could improve the health of residents. Finally, realizing that the lives of these residents matter is the simplest solution to these problems. These neighborhoods are not hazardous or dangerous and these people deserve better living conditions, instead of being known as a plot of land to build a highway through. The impacts of climate change are only going to become more prevalent and persistent, so now is the time to act in bettering the lives of all people.

A Student’s Take on Climate Policy: Why Acting Now is Our Only Hope

Kaitlynn Fetterman-Riggle is a student at the Marin School of Environmental Leadership and an active CCL volunteer.

These past few weeks, California has faced all sorts of turmoil. With an extreme heatwave followed by rolling blackouts, lightning storms, wildfires, and poor air quality, it feels as though the apocalypse is looming. What makes this especially sad, however, is that these events are occurring more and more often. When babysitting a 4-year-old last week, I heard her remark, “Oh look, it’s getting smoky again.” as plainly as she would say that the sky is blue. It is saddening that children are growing up thinking that natural disasters are normal. What kind of world are we creating for our future generations? 

Looking at the disasters that are plaguing California at this moment, I can’t help but make one sickening observation: all of these calamities are related to climate change. Every single one. Heatwaves? Brought on by climate change. Rolling blackouts? People are using more energy during heat waves to cool their houses down, therefore putting more stress on our power grids. Lightning storms? Another symptom of climate change. Wildfires? Sparked by the lightning storms that caused more harm than good. Poor air quality? Smoke from the wildfires that ravaged our rolling hills is polluting our air and making it unsafe to even go outside. These disasters will only continue to increase if we don’t take action to reduce our carbon emissions and stop polluting our earth. This is where HR763 comes in.

HR763 is a carbon pricing bill that brings a new and different idea to the concept of carbon pricing: carbon fee and dividend. The idea is that a tax would be put in place on all products based on their carbon footprint, so a higher tax will be placed on products with higher carbon footprints. Imported goods will also have to pay a border adjustment to protect US jobs and manufacturers. This concept is pretty standard for carbon pricing bills, but where HR763 is different is the “dividend” part of “carbon fee and dividend.” The bill is revenue neutral, so the government doesn’t keep any of the fees collected. Instead, all of the money from the carbon tax will be returned to American citizens in the form of a monthly dividend check. Adults get a full share, and children get half shares. Everyone gets the same amount of money back in the dividend check, but individuals are taxed based on how much carbon they use. HR763 is a fair and equitable way to help reduce carbon emissions without making unrealistic changes to our society.

HR763 has been proven by scientists and economists to be an effective yet simple solution that is expected to reduce America's carbon emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years. It is bipartisan, something rather uncommon when dealing with a climate legislature.  HR763 is good for both people and the economy. It will create upwards of 2.1 million jobs, as well as reducing air pollution for citizens across the country. The dividend check will also put money directly into the hands of all Americans, helping middle and low-income families. This is because some people may be spending more money on high carbon products than they are receiving in the dividend check, while others, typically middle and low-income families, may make more environmentally friendly choices that will allow them to break even or even make a small amount of money from the dividend check. 

Our planet is in desperate need of help. The global temperature has risen 1.62 degrees since the late 19th century, and will continue to rise unless we take action to prevent this disaster from happening. Global warming is responsible for 150,000 deaths every year, and over 1 million species of animals are at risk of extinction due to climate change. We know that climate change is causing these catastrophic events, so why aren’t we doing anything about it? We need our leaders to put climate legislation, such as HR763, in place to ensure that we have a planet to live on for years to come. We don’t just need climate action; it is our only hope to save our planet.

Rice University: Commit to Carbon Neutrality!

Trisha Gupta is from Houston, Texas. She is a rising sophomore at Rice University, where she is triple majoring in Economics, Social Policy Analysis, and Managerial Studies, with a minor in Business. She hopes to pursue nonprofit work or a job with startups or startup accelerators after graduation.

Rice University publicizes its progressive values, yet can't seem to stop compromising them each year when it comes time for the Career Expo.  Despite public commitments to transitioning completely to renewable energy by 2050 and becoming carbon-neutral by 2030, the administration continues to take money and endorsements from some of the worst polluters in our nation. Annually, we see companies like Exxon, Chevron, and BP sponsor our Career Expo, one of the singular biggest events on campus. It's greatly disappointing to see the university offer lip service of commitments to environmental goals, without publicized measures of progress that students could use to hold the university accountable to these commitments, and then become complicit in the decidedly non-sustainable actions of large oil and gas companies.

Not only does Rice University take money and sponsorships from these large oil and gas companies, but it also only promotes their environmental divisions when it comes to green jobs. Unfortunately, there are many green-focused startups in Houston that are not seeing the publicity they deserve. They don't have the opportunities to come to Rice's campus and recruit, and thus the connections are never made between Rice students who genuinely are interested in sustainability and companies that are entirely sustainable.

As students, we should work to hold our university accountable to the values that it promotes. It's unfair for a university to claim that it is committed to sustainability, yet partner with companies that don't act sustainably and promote their 'green divisions' at the expense of other genuinely 'green' companies.

We Need United Efforts to Support Bipartisan Climate Legislation

Lunia Oriol is a senior studying Climate and Meteorology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She was born and raised in Alaska, where she was instilled with a strong interest in environmental preservation, climate science, and energy policy.

In early August, Washtenaw county leaders set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. The county must ‘transition away from carbon-intensive transportation to public and carbon-neutral transit’ and acknowledge that communities of people of color have ‘historically borne the brunt of the extractive fossil-fuel economy’. 

These leaders know that climate change is here, it is visible, and we need to take immediate action to transition away from carbon-intensive infrastructure to an equitable, carbon-neutral society. We must work with our congressional representatives and our communities to push for national legislation that will set the stage for transformative change. 

Here is where the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763) comes into play. By placing a fee on carbon, this bill would produce a 40% reduction in emissions in just 12 years. It would create millions of jobs - stimulating economic growth - and put aid into the pockets of millions of American households through a carbon dividend. H.R. 763 is the most actionable and holistic approach we can take to combating climate change, but the only way it will be passed is from our united efforts. What you can do today is urge your representatives to support this bill?

We Have the Tools to Solve This Crisis NOW

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.

What Kind of Response Are You Prepared to Give?

Nile Bunger is an Environmental Science major at the University of Arizona. The majority of his jobs thus far have involved working in with marine life, which is where his love for the ocean comes from.

California droughts. Rainforest fires. Rising sea levels. Hurricanes multiplying. Sever storms in the Midwest creeping up in the news. These are all things we are dealing with far too often. "We do not know a planet like this," some may say. Well, that is not all the way true. In fact, we saw some very similar climate patterns and behaviors during the Pliocene period. During that time, the planet experienced both dry and cool climate conditions with sea levels approximately 90 feet higher than what is recorded today.

This time period was millions of years ago, so why am I bringing it to your attention now? When sea levels rise at a rapid rate, it not only poses a threat to our oceans wildlife and temperatures. It impacts the health of our human population. We will be exposed to bacteria that we are not equipped to handle at a rate we will struggle to keep up with. As temperatures start to rise globally, we will start to see diseases that once were only able to live in temperate and tropical climates start to spread to areas that once were too cold.

I urge you to VOTE this November for a leader that will address our climate crisis. There will be a time when the next generations will ask us what we did or didn't do to secure a livable planet for their future. What kind of response are you prepared to give?