It’s possible that this summer is just a fluke; that the heat waves
and drought that are wreaking havoc for farmers and others are an
anomaly, and that the weather will return to “normal” next summer or
maybe the summer after that. That it’s just summer and it’s hot, and
that this really isn’t part of a trend that climate scientists have been
predicting.
But that’s not the way to bet. . . .
“The extreme weather and heat waves are costing lives, hurting
farmers and families, and inaction is wasting tax money,” said Rep.
Brett Hulsey (D-Madison), member of the Assembly Energy and Utilities
Committee in a news release. “We need to take cost-effective steps to
reduce greenhouse air pollution, create jobs and protect lives like my
Jobs, Energy and Tax Savings Act (AB 117) to reduce energy costs at the
9,000 state facilities by 30% to 75% and cut the risk of extreme climate
change.”
“We know that using more renewable energy and more energy efficiency
creates more jobs here and produces far less green house gases than the
fossil fuels they replace,” said Don Wichert, P.E., Executive Director
of RENEW Wisconsin. “Access to renewable energy can be increased by
reducing upfront costs through private ownership, by creating fair and
consistent electricity policies, and by reinstating utility renewable
energy commitments.”
It’s also the message being pushed by a retired Marine colonel and
former strategic adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
who argues that sustainability and climate change are national security
issues. Local leaders need to start the shift to more sustainable
practices such as regenerative agriculture techniques and advanced
manufacturing because “D.C. isn’t going to do anything,” Mark Mykleby,
author of “A Natural Strategic Narrative,” he told the Editorial Board
Thursday.
The science says climate change is happening now, not just in
computer models or overactive imaginations but in the real world. From
rising sea levels to droughts to tornadoes and wildfires, there is a
growing list of anomalous events that indicate climate change is already
upon us. And the safe bet is to start acting now to mitigate the human
effect on climate change at the international, national and local
levels.