Leaders must be proactive on climate change

Climate change effects are everywhere. We need look no further than our island home.

Hurricanes are becoming more severe, as are storms and floods. Erosion from rising sea levels is worse on Maui than on other islands. We are told that we can expect more of the above.

Luckily, our leaders like U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele and U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz are proactive on climate change. If citizens want to get more involved in Hawaii, it’s easy to submit testimony on pending bills in the State Legislature at capitol.hawaii.gov.

SCR44 and SR30 are being considered in the Hawaii State Legislature, “declaring a climate emergency and requesting statewide collaboration toward an immediate just transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate.”

I was alerted to these resolutions because I am a member of Citizens ClimateLobby.org, which I recommend, as one may be as involved as one wants without pressure.

It promotes a carbon fee, which will help to lower fossil fuel emissions, plus a direct dividend to citizens to cover costs of rising fuel costs, especially for the poorest among us.

This is part of a solution to the climate crisis, but action is necessary now.

Please consider joining if only to let your representatives know (under “Take Action” on their site) that this type of legislation must happen while so many people are now convinced that it’s time to act while we can. Call me if you want more information, as I’m in the phone book.

Bobbie Best

Wailuku