Editor,
We’re grateful to celebrate Earth Day in the magnificent Ozarks. And we’re inspired by our friends and neighbors who are loving the Earth in a myriad of powerful ways – adding solar panels, eating more locally-sourced food, recycling, driving less, planting native trees, supporting bees and speaking out against deforestation, to name a few.
On a global scale, the world took a major step forward in caring for the Earth with the Paris agreement last December. This accord will be formally signed at the United Nations on Earth Day, April 22. Unfortunately, the US commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and, thus protecting our planetary home, is in jeopardy because of the Supreme Court’s decision to delay the implementation of the Clean Power Plan. The court’s action demonstrates that in the United States we need a solution to climate change that is more resilient, more widely accepted, and more long-lasting than executive actions.
One such possibility is the passage of legislation that will put a steadily rising fee on carbon, while returning revenue to households. This revenue neutral approach, sometimes called “carbon fee and dividend,” incentivizes a rapid transition away from fossil fuels while fostering employment and economic vibrancy. It’s a fundamental solution that Arkansas’ senators and representatives could support, if encouraged.
To easily learn more about carbon fee and dividend and how it can help to preserve the well being of our beautiful Earth, check out citizensclimatelobby.org.
Jerry Landrum, Frances DaVilla, Jan Schaper