This commentary is by John Woodland of Brattleboro and Robert Small of Stannard; they are the volunteer coordinator and co-facilitator, respectively, of Third Act Vermont.
As we once again start prioritizing repairs to major infrastructure damaged by severe flooding, pumping water out of our basements and begin searching our state, town and personal budgets for the needed funds, there is a question we need to ask ourselves: Are we ready to finally treat the climate crisis as the existential emergency it really is?
At the same time Vermont was receiving two months of rain in two days, other countries all over the planet were also experiencing unprecedented rains and flooding. Also simultaneously, southern parts of this country were experiencing an unrelenting, life-threatening heat wave.
On the day we wrote this, the predicted high for Phoenix, Arizona, was 110 degrees. Nightfall would bring no relief with a predicted low of 92. Over the next 10 days, Phoenix temperatures are all predicted to be over 100. Most above 110. The 92-degree low for this day will be exceeded for the next nine days. Saturday will see a low of 97.
The cause? A heat-trapping blanket of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is continuing to grow. Last year we again dumped a record amount of carbon into our atmosphere. We are polluting our atmosphere and paying the price, literally and figuratively.
Yet, the federal government continues to issue permits for fossil fuel projects and the Vermont Public Employees Pension Fund continues to invest your pension dollars in the fossil fuel industry, funding those projects with your money.
It is way past time we all actively get engaged to help reverse the trajectory of this threat to our civilization. But how?
The answer is to join and get actively involved in one or more of the many organizations fighting for real change and to vote for representatives at every level of government who will work for our future and transition away from fossil fuel.
Third Act Vermont is a working group of Third Act.org, a national group founded by Vermont resident Bill McKibben. Third Act is a group for the over-60 crowd, working toward climate solutions, including defunding the fossil fuel industry and electing representatives who will advocate for real changes.
Third Act Vermont can be found through our website at third actvt.org. Other options are 350.org, Sierra Club at actsierraclub.org, and sunrisemovement.org.
Now is the time to stand up and work together for real change to address the climate crisis. We are at a point of inflection, and running out of time. Sitting back is not an option.
