Letter to the Editor: The time to act on climate change is now

Dear Editor: 

Bravo to Dr. Alan Frischer for his important column on climate change in the April 8 issue of this newspaper.

Dr. Frischer is correct to state that “climate change is considered the biggest global health threat of the 21st century – yes, a greater threat than this current pandemic,” and he is also accurate when he says that “the most marginalized groups of people, including those with disabilities, low-income families, the elderly” are most impacted by rising temperatures and extreme weather.

Because of our concern for future generations, including those in our family and those who are less well-off than we are, my husband and I devote much of our time to fighting climate change. We have changed our lifestyles, making many of the changes recommended in the doctor’s article. We have solar panels on our home, any extra electricity is 100% renewable from Downey’s CCE option, we drive plug-in hybrid vehicles, and we rarely eat beef.

Although we know our individual choices contribute to a better climate, we also understand that the climate crisis is so enormous that to achieve meaningful results will require a moonshot effort by all of us working as a team. We need to harness the innovative and creative genius of the American economy, with its scientists, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers, to move us rapidly towards a clean-energy future.

A good way to start is by pricing carbon:  when something costs more, people use less of it.  In addition, since renewable alternatives will become relatively cheaper, demand for them will skyrocket; this will stimulate a wave of climate-friendly innovation. We also need to help working families manage their budgets as they transition to clean energy.

A recently introduced bill in Congress, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2021, does all of this and more. It levies a fee on all fossil fuels at the coal mine, gas/oil well, or port of entry. To give the economy time to adjust, it starts low and increases yearly. Independent studies project that its approach will reduce America’s carbon pollution by 30% in the first 5 years alone and that the bill is the single most powerful tool we have to reach net zero by 2050.

In order to help working and middle-class families transition to clean energy, all net proceeds will be returned to American families via a monthly dividend. Consequently, most low-and-middle-income Americans will come out financially ahead or break even.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby – a nonpartisan group of which my husband, son, and I are members – strongly supports The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. On April 1, the first day of Earth Month 2021, we were delighted to learn that Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Downey’s congresswoman, was one of twenty-five original cosponsors of this bill.

Solving climate change will not be easy, but it will lead to a better future for ourselves and future generations. In addition to individual lifestyle changes, we must enact effective government policies. Passing the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act will be an excellent start. 

Thanks again to Dr. Frischer for calling attention to the importance of the climate crisis and to Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard for being part of the solution.

Anita Rivero
Downey