Go Green: Make America Green Again

By Tom Last

Make America Green Again is not a new concept, basically most of us want our environment to be greener and cleaner with the reduction of fossil fuels and a faster conversion to green energy solutions such as solar, power, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and carbon capture. Also, we want to protect our natural resources such as waterways, forests, and the air we breathe.

In our neighborhood, there are clear signs of those who want to Make America Green Again. For example, there have been several new tree plantings by the Neponsit Homeowners Association throughout the Neponsit area. Trees have also been planted by the Parks Department along the Flatbush extension and Belt Parkway. Trees are a wonderful way to improve the health of our environment and the health of individuals. Another way to Make American Green Again is to do a beach cleanup. There are several community beach cleanups, in the Rockaways, throughout the year. These cleanups help to reduce the pollution on our beaches, in our waterways and help protect the animals and fish that live there. We all want to get that plastic off the beaches.

Unfortunately, there are those who want us to believe there is no longer any urgency to protect our planet.  The U.S. now stands alone amongst other nations in its climate denial. Because of the lobbying of the fossil fuel industry, who have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help elect many in the current U.S. government, our country is mandating new oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico and in protected Alaskan wildlands, while dismantling federal efforts to monitor and respond to climate change. This includes firing climate scientists and closing research centers that study climate change and how it affects us. The United States is ignoring growing threats posed by a rapidly warming world, as we continue to break record high temperatures here in the U.S. and around the world.  At the same time, we are weakening the agency’s that collect data and warn Americans in vulnerable areas about extreme weather patterns. Last month, 42 people lost their lives from extreme storms that swept through the mid-west and the south.  Do these American lives not matter? All for the enormous profits of the fossil fuel industry.

In addition, the federal tax credit of up to $7,500 that consumers could receive for buying an electric vehicle will be eliminated. Incentives to produce clean energy, such as wind and solar power are being phased out. Other recent government actions include rescinding standards put in place to restrict allowable levels of so-called forever chemicals found in drinking water supplies across the U.S. Do we really want low standards of drinking water in the richest country in the world? We should be better than that.

It’s time to Make America Green Again and ensure there is a future for our children, especially since we live in a coastal community. Write to your elected representatives and tell them you want support for green energy solutions, conservation, the protection of our natural resources and the reduction of the use of fossil fuels. Practice energy conservation and recycling at home and become more knowledgeable on how to fight climate change. Let’s remember those who lost their lives to extreme storms last month and those who are suffering thru the conflagrations happening right now in Canada, by acting to fight climate change.  Make America Green Again before it’s too late!

Tom Last can be reached at: thomaslast100@gmail.com

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