To the Editor:
I just dusted off my stationary bike. Yes, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are about self-improvement. Some of us may want to go the “extra mile” by adding carbon reduction resolutions this 2022 for Mother Nature’s improvement! We need to decrease our greenhouse gas emissions by 7.6% each year (2020-2030) according to a 2019 United Nations Environmental Program declaration to limit our global warming increase to 1.5C by 2030. Here are the top 20 recommendations from Global Stewards Sustainable Living Tips to reduce your carbon footprint adding to your New Year’s resolution choices (https://www.globalstewards.org/reduce-carbon-footprint.htm).
Of course, I especially like #18: “Vote like your future depends on it — because it does!” 2022 is a critical election year to urgently mitigate climate change for ourselves and our posterity. One in three Americans has been affected by extreme weather events of climate change. Support bipartisan candidates who prioritize economic and climate science evidence-based environmental policies such as carbon pricing. Also, ask your elected politicians at local, state, and federal levels to legislate a carbon fee and dividend policy to incentivize individuals and companies to reduce their carbon footprint emissions while supporting our middle- and lower-income households as 2030 will soon be here.
Minta Phillips
Julian