Benton will keep smart growth at fore
“The devastation of climate change is real. But there are reasons to be hopeful.” — Jane Goodall, Time Magazine, Sept. 23.
According to Aryn Baker, Time Magazine, Sept. 23, “The only way to reduce heat waves would be to reduce global carbon emissions. But cities can make them safer by providing more green spaces. Anyone who has stepped under the shade of a tree on a hot day doesn’t need science to prove that it’s cooler, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the microclimate created by a few trees can reduce ambient temperatures by up to 9 degrees F.”
On the heels of the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York City last month, we in Albuquerque must think globally and act locally. One way that we can take action locally is to elect leaders in our community who understand the importance of smart growth, environmental protection, green energy and alternative transportation.
Isaac Benton is a community leader with a good environmental track record and should be reelected to our City Council in District 2.
Benton has a history of working with the community on environmental issues, protection of open space, and promoting our urban forests and parks. The following are some examples of his contribution to making Albuquerque a cooler and more livable city:
■ Advocating for and funding the protection of our Open Space System. The Rio
Grande Bosque is a ribbon of green that runs through the center of our city. Not only does the Bosque serve as the “lungs” of our city by sequestering carbon dioxide, but also it gives Albuquerque its sense of place. Keeping our valley green is a priority for Benton.
■ Funding and commitment to maintaining a city forester position in the Parks and Recreation Department with an emphasis on increasing the number of trees that add to our urban forest.
■ Promoting smart growth and good urban planning. As an architect, Benton has tackled difficult planning issues always with the commitment to working with the community and protecting the unique identity of his large and diverse district that includes Barelas, Sawmill, Downtown and the North Valley.
■ Promoting and funding a system of trails and bike lanes that has made Albuquerque an example to other cities for alternative transportation and recreational trail development.
As former administrators of public Open Space and Parks and Recreation programs, we know how important it is to have policymakers who truly care about our environment and quality-of-life issues. We need to re-elect Benton to City Council District 2. He will continue this work in protecting our environment, providing parks, open space and trails as we face an increasingly warming planet.