It is reported the ice caps are melting at a faster rate than predicted. Coastal cities have seen increasing days of sunny day flooding. Extreme flooding is occurring as larger weather systems are stalling. And, drought areas are seeing more severe drought and forest fires are larger and more frequent.
The time has come to move forward in a concerted manner to address climate change. Efforts to waylay climate change actions must be highlighted and remedied. This should not be a political issue, but the fossil fuel industry has its foot on too many politicians’ throats.
That must change. I believe people who see the problems occurring now must act. Ask every politician what they plan to do about climate change. If the person gives a trite, dismissive answer, say that is not an acceptable answer. The problem exists and we need to do something about it.
Even an older GOP Senator from Iowa called the President on the carpet for his “idiotic” comment about wind energy. When the President said wind mills cause cancer, Senator Chuck Grassley said that was “idiotic” and added that he was the “father of wind energy tax credits.” It should be noted Iowa gets 1/3 of its electricity from wind energy. That is forward thinking, but is not new. Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens said wind energy was the future about eight years ago, once we bought time with natural gas. We have.
The time has come. Do not worry about being passionate as we need more fervent action.
musingsofanoldfart 
The bomb is truly ticking. It is so scary! If there are still people who think this is not serious … We need to take action immediately and clearly! Time is running out!
Erika, I think we need to tell them we will not vote for them. We need people on the bus who get it. If they don’t, they need to get out of the way. What frustrates me is how few people know the damage the current US President is doing to the environment as we are distracted by his inane tweets. Maybe that is by design, at least in part. Keith
I agree, it is scary and not to understand how many don’t care, accept, or believe the stupid decisions and explanations. He is a threat not only to your country but also to the rest of the world. He is toxic and poisening ground, mindes, and working and progressive developments in our world.
Erika, unfortunately, many of his base are not going to be influenced by what the rest of the world thinks, and therein lies part of the problem. They see a self-proclaimed tough guy who is saying things that are not true, have been over-simplified and/ or do not offer context. Yet, I see a person whose false bravado does not match his actual lack of toughness. A great example is his picking on a dead American hero, Senator John McCain, who cannot fight back. Keith
Note to Readers: A couple of talking points for naysayers:
– it is not a jobs or environment issue. US solar jobs are 4X coal jobs
– production costs of 75% of coal plants in US are more expensive than renewable energy costs now
– Germany’s coal energy now trails renewable energy
Our continued reliance on fossil fuels and negligence of our role in hastening, rather than halting climate change is nothing short of criminal. We are jeopardizing lives with Trump’s proclamation that climate change is naught but a hoax and all for what? The title of your post says it all: The Time Has Come. If we don’t step up to the plate now, it may be too late tomorrow.
Jill, thanks. I believe we need to lean in, borrowing from Sheryl Sandburg’s book title. We should not be embarassed to care about our planet. I gave the talking points because the arguments against doing something are quite stale. In fact, some will not believe the data points I offer above.
In case you didn’t already see it, check out Krugman’s 4/4 column in the Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/opinion/trump-deadly-deregulation.html
Jill, I saw this. Dems and like-minded GOP, we need them to harp on climate change inaction and environmental degradation. It is time. The President and GOP are in the wrong and yes, people are dying by our allow more pollution and the impacts of climate change. Keith
Good post, Keith. It is so scary that not only has little been done to address climate change in the past 2 years, but the Trump administration has actively removed environmental protections or refused to enforce them. Perhaps the Idiot-in-Chief will sneer a different tune once his Florida resort is under water. Of course, in that case, it will be Obama’s fault.
John, any progress has not been done by this man and he and his people have impeded such with tariffs and environmental regs being stripped. Fortunately, others are doing things and about 30 of his reg changes have been ruled unconstitutional primarily because the Trump EPA did not do their homework.
I did see where the Washington DC basin is now flooding more into some of the low lying areas in DC causing damage. Plus, within 90 miles of DC, the coast and islands in Chesapeake Bay are being consumed by rising sea
By the way, an ironic true story is Donald Trump’s people in Ireland filed for permission to do the following per Politico:
“A permit application for a sea wall around one of Donald Trump’s golf courses explicitly names global warming as a reason to build the wall. The New York billionaire is applying for permission to erect a coastal protection works to prevent erosion at his seaside golf resort, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, in County Clare.”
Keith
I hope they refuse him the permits and cite his speeches about climate change being a hoax.
John, I agree. Democrats need to harp on climate change and environment in this election. They are on the side of the angels on this. Keith
Dear Keith,
The GOP are clueless. Most families get this. Those who know a family member who suffers from asthma, they get it. Tourists who traveled to FL., only to be greeted by waterways full of green algae, they get it. If a family member goes without power, then more people get it. If the homeowner insurance policies premiums skyrocket, then a whole lot of people get this.
If we can go to the moon starting from ground -0- in 8 years, then we can do this. We just have to oust the naysayers in 2020.
Hugs, Gronda
Gronda, he is pulling us out of Paris, allowing more pollution, placing tariffs on imported solar panels and trying to enable more offshore drilling.
He is ignoring the significant threat of domestic terrorists while harping on foreign ones. He is building some of the wall when the need is for more judges and help coubtries where the migrants start.
And, we could go on. He can no longer hide the chaos and incompetence within his White House. His use of acting leaders and high turnover are telling. Even more GOP leaders are seeing this. But, will they act? Keith
He said what?????
There was a time you would only hear this from a very long way down the political ladder, and then from a known eccentric.
Sometimes I think because of Brexit the UK is in a worse state than the USA and then the person in the Whitehouse says something….
Roger, Brexit is arguably worse because its impact will be long lasting. Yet, my worst fear with Trump is his impact on the environment and harming progress fighting climate change. Keith
From a UK perspective and taking into account the ebbs and tides of nations as witnessed through history, it could be argued we are simply in our period of decline from second-tier world status to modest European status but have not woken up to the fact.
My own worse fear about the disease of which Trump is a symptom is the fracturing of the USA into separate quasi nation states and the potential for violent social upheaval that may bring. This in itself is nothing new in history but is a very painful process
Roger, sadly you speak hard truths. Until he is called on the carpet, by election or severe admonishment, he has impunity to abuse. Keith