Another Earth Day and what have we done?

Another Earth Day has come and gone.

It was heralded in with President Biden hosting a Leaders Summit on Climate where he announced the United States will cut emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030.

While that is the biggest step the US has ever taken toward healing the Earth it still falls short of the 57-63% below 2005 levels needed to be compatible with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5ºC temperature limit . It leaves a gap of 12-14% short of reaching 1.5ºC according to Climate Action Tracker.

Coming close does not fix it. The target has to be reached period. Nothing less will save the planet. A 12-14% gap is huge.

So work still needs to be done.

Don’t fall for the “compromise” argument or empty promises. A video posted online by Now This News features Greta Thunberg warning “Let’s call out their bullshit,” because the gap between what their rhetoric and what’s actually needed is “the biggest elephant there’s even been in any room.”

President Biden’s target not only falls short of what is needed to keep us below 2ºC let alone 1.5 but it is important how he plans on meeting that goal.

President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate had such leaders as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of the most environmentally destructive presidents and Bill Gates who has heavily invested in GMOs and Monsanto/Bayer. Not exactly leaders in environmental preservation.

So how does he think such destructive forces are going to stop the Climate Crisis?

Be wary of what they call “nature-based solutions”. They involve “carbon offset mechanisms” such as GMOs, monoculture tree plantations (and claim they are planting trees for the Earth) and intensive farming. According to an article How Earth Day Is Being Co-Opted by Corporate Interests by Simone Lovera these mechanisms involve some of the dirtiest industries. All of which destroy natural habitats and do nothing to offset carbon but plenty for corporate profits.

Watch for carbon-capturing technology. It doesn’t exist and so is untested since it is just in theory.

We need real solutions now.

We have long tested reliable Earth-friendly carbon-capturing solutions already. They are called trees and forests and ocean plants. Reforestation and cleaning up our oceans so these habitats can thrive will provide an incredible service for us. They are good at cleaning up our mess. Restoring habitats is vital in abating the Climate Crisis.

Our meddling is what got us here in the first place. Our inaction has brought us to he point of Climate Emergency. Nurturing and repairing the damage we have done to the planet is the solution. Nature had a good balanced system in place for millions of years. We need to restore Her and step back.

We shouldn’t just be meeting the goal of 1.5ºC . We should go beyond that and do better. Push us back to temperatures before Industrial Times. None of this compromise.

We trashed our Life Support so it is our responsibility to clean it up to its original pristine state. Leave it how we found it.

There is no time left to “compromise” In politics “compromise” is a euphemism for giving corporations what they want. And we are left with the burden of living with and cleaning up the mess.

So no compromise. It’s time we had ZERO tolerance for inaction on the Climate Crisis. It’s time for ZERO emissions. It’s past time.

Now is the time we make them listen.

So check in with your President and your Representative and Senators. Make it a Monday routine. Ask when they are implementing plans for the Climate Crisis that meet and exceed the mandatory actions the scientists have laid out of reducing emissions by 57-63% by 2030?

The three biggest sectors in the United States where emissions need to be reduced are transportation, electricity and buildings. Transportation is the largest source of emissions in the US. What are they doing to reduce those emissions?

How much money are they allocating for reforestation?

When are they going to subsidize clean energy like wind and solar or new forms of clean and accessible energy?

Make sure they hear from you. They need to know we care and we are watching.

Our elected officials are a reflection on us. We hired them. So they reflect our values. If they aren’t they should be fired.

So take a good long look at your elected officials, because they certainly are not leaders. Do they reflect your values?

Are they listening to you?

How do they make you look?

Saying “At least he’s dong something.” is like having a fatal disease and your doctor tells you if you eat a plant based diet, exercise twice a week and take this herb starting now you’ll be cured. If not, you’ll die in 6 months. You respond with, “How abut if I don’t exercise, eat meat except on Meatless Mondays and start the herb next month.” At least you’re doing something right? But you are still going to die in 6 months.

The time for baby steps is over. Scientists say this is it. Now or never.

This is the most important cause, the most important fight anyone has ever fought. This is the end of the planet. The end of species.

We’ve blown it for over 40 years. This is our last chance to do better.

Get your friends to call elected officials and make it a weekly event and compare notes.

Recruit more friends each week. See how big a group you can get together.

Take back control and make sure your voice is heard.

It’s in our hands.

We can do better together.

Life on Earth is depending on it.