I support designing and implementing the Green New Deal, and I think all public servants, including Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, should do the same.
In the U.S, every citizen has either seen or experienced firsthand the danger and uncertainty brought on by the effects of climate change. We all have to grapple with the fear of living in a country in which the severity of hurricanes, droughts and wildfires continues to get worse for decades into the future. We hear talk of increased likelihood of epidemics and crop failures, and maybe are unable to guess what that might do to our society.
The only way we can make this situation meaningfully better for everyone is by adapting as a nation. The Green New Deal represents the rallying cry of millions of people across this country who want to work together on that adaptation, and want to live in healthier, happier, more sustainable communities.
Adaptation means investing in a wide range of economic activities. Some examples are building storm walls in coastal areas, replacing paved areas with permeable surfaces to allow for cleaner groundwater, building water storage systems, and monitoring forest size and composition in wildfire-prone areas. Additionally, the capacity for power generation by sources like solar and wind needs to be scaled up, and the existing energy grid for houses and other buildings needs to be updated to rely on low-emission sources. These efforts represent a burst of economic activity that will create millions of high paying jobs, provide resources for people whose lives or jobs are disrupted by climate change, and make the climate safer for all Americans.
It is time we come together as a country to make the Green New Deal happen.
Aidan Fielding
Alexandria