CITIZENS’ CLIMATE EDUCATION: You Can Help Battle Climate Change

Bad and discouraging climate news isn’t hard to find. Last year was the hottest year in human history and January was the hottest January in recent history. At the same time, the federal government is removing the mention of climate and climate change from all documents. 

But don’t give up – there are many things we can still do. Keep pushing for progress and be willing to work with those you may disagree with. Many people across the political spectrum acknowledge that the effects of climate change are a problem, and they want to do something about it. There is common ground to stand on. 

For example, everyone wants to reduce the devastating effects of forest and urban fires. Enter the Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), a bipartisan bill in Congress that has the intention of improving forest health, increasing forest resilience to wildfires, and boosting forest restoration projects. Study the bill and let your elected officials know if you support it. It has passed in the House with bipartisan support and is now in the Senate. We know that the atmospheric and infrastructure effects of wildfires can cancel out many of the good things being done with renewable energy, but we also know that no one likes wildfires. 

In addition to telling your elected officials what concerns you, support those officials who advocate for climate action financially and with your time. 

Another positive action is to write Letters to the Editor when you read something that you want to cheer or something that you want to boo. Keep them short and to your point. Whether they are published or not, they tell the newspaper publishers what is important to the public and encourage them to keep reporting on the topics you care about. 

If you want to do just a little something every day, there is an app called “Climate Action Now” that gives you daily choices for climate action. It is free and available from your app store or from climateactionnow.com.

There are new and exciting developments happening. One up-and-coming area of interest is applying fracking technology to geothermal power. That drilling experience can be used to make this vast potential source of non-polluting power widely available. Another possibility is that our growing energy needs may lead to a nuclear power renaissance. We know it has drawbacks; it takes a long time to develop and certify, and the new Small Modular Reactor technology needs to be proven to be as affordable and safe as promised. Keep an open mind and ask questions to decide if these new technologies are something you can support. 

I am sure there is much more you can think of to do for the climate. Do not despair – TAKE ACTION!

Larry Kramer, a 23-year resident of San Juan Capistrano, is a retired Navy  submarine captain, former mayor of San Juan Capistrano, and a member of the local chapter of Citizens’ Climate Education.