By Sameer Ranade
Our agricultural breadbasket is in a state of severe drought – and the rest of the state isn’t faring much better: the U.S. Drought Monitor shows nearly every inch of Washington is abnormally dry. This spells danger for farms, fish, forests, and, of course, people. We rely on our mountain snowpack to slowly melt and provide water during the spring and summer. But this year’s snowpack runoff is expected to be the lowest recorded in 64 years! Is global warming responsible? You bet. But thanks to the fossil fuel industry’s political influence, we haven’t mustered the will to effectively address global warming by curbing heat-trapping carbon pollution.
Carbon pollution is upsetting the balance of nature, causing more extreme weather like the droughts and wildfires that have been ravaging Washington in recent years. Climate science experts agree that such dangerous events are likely to become more frequent and intense if fossil fuels continue to dominate our energy supplies.
Our children don’t deserve this future. We can take action that turns the tide against global warming and creates stronger economic growth and healthier communities everywhere. Investing in Washington’s clean homegrown energy instead of imported fossil fuels produces immediate benefits: reducing heart and lung disease from air pollution and sparking new industrial growth and good paying jobs. The vehicle to move this idea forward is the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy, of which I am a member. We’re building a broad and diverse coalition to advance the best climate policy for Washington.