There is good news and bad news. The bad news is 2012 was the second most extreme year on record for the U.S (source: NOAA). 2012 was the warmest year on record for the mainland U.S., record high temperatures were broken all over the country and one-third of the population experienced 100˚ temperatures. Not surprisingly this led to more droughts, wildfires and floods.
So what could the good news possibly be after this information? The good news is President Obama is committed to doing something about it. He recently released his Climate Action Plan. The plan, which consists of a wide variety of executive actions, has three key pillars:
1) Cut Carbon Pollution in America: In 2012, U.S. carbon emissions fell to the lowest level
in two decades even as the economy continued to grow. To build on this progress, the Obama Administration is putting in place tough new rules to cut carbon pollution – just like we have for other toxins like mercury and arsenic – so we protect the health of our children and move our economy toward American-made clean energy sources that will create good jobs and lower home energy bills.2) Prepare the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change: Even as we take new steps to reduce carbon pollution, we must also prepare for the impacts of a changing climate that are already being felt across the country. Moving forward, the Obama Administration will help state and local governments strengthen our roads, bridges, and shorelines so we can better protect people’s homes, businesses and way of life from severe weather.
3) Lead International Efforts to Combat Global Climate Change and Prepare for its Impacts: Just as no country is immune from the impacts of climate change, no country can meet this challenge alone. That is why it is imperative for the United States to couple action at home with leadership internationally. America must help forge a truly global solution to this global challenge by galvanizing international action to significantly reduce emissions (particularly among the major emitting countries), prepare for climate impacts, and drive progress through the international negotiations. (from The President’s Climate Action Plan)
I am so proud as a U.S. citizen that our President realizes the impact of climate change and plans on turning the U.S. into a global leader of combatting climate change. You might wonder how this affects you directly? Sometimes climate change sounds like such a daunting and overwhelming problem I think it can become difficult for individuals, not involved in a major environmental catastrophe, to understand this very real problem that affects them, their family and community every day. I encourage everyone to visit the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2013 website and find out what state your air is in. For example, my county in Georgia has a grade of F. Sadly that means there’s a greater number of people in my community at risk of pediatric asthma, adult asthma, COPD, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other related illnesses.
So what can you do? It is critical to support President Obama and our representatives that are fighting for clean air and to combat climate change. Call or email your representatives and Senators and tell them where you stand on climate change. You can also check the LCV scorecard to check how your representatives have voted on environmental issues. 2014 is right around the corner, now is the time to support the president and make it clear you will use the power of your vote to ensure the U.S. becomes a leader in combating climate change.