What a travesty. A problem that threatens our way of life, our national and global security, our health, our food—everything you can think of. Global warming. How to solve the simple but vexatious problem of climate pollution. It was ignored by three different networks — five different moderators — during presidential and vice-presidential debates. Just like in 2012. Meantime, we went through the hottest June, July, August, September and now October in recorded human history. And it is only going to get worse.
I wasn’t expecting much from Fox News, which has long been the network of climate denial. But today, while streets in Florida are flooding during sunny days, while the Southwest is in a megadrought, there is no excuse for the TV media silence.
It is a shameful silence. Millions of people get their news from television. So millions of people did not get an opportunity to hear how our next President will move this country through a clean energy transition. Millions of people did not get a chance to understand exactly how dire this problem is. And exactly how much has been done, and how much more could be done, to solve it.
Our democracy is based on an educated voter. Hundreds of thousands of people signed petitions and polls asking for climate coverage.TV networks spend millions of dollars to cover every single hurricane, flood, and wildfire, disasters amped up by the heated condition of our climate—one that puts steroids into weather. But they do not explain the link to climate pollution.
However. There are plenty of smart, passionate people working around the clock to help avert the worst of climate disasters.
People crafting historic treaties.
World leaders joining in the Paris agreement to cut carbon emissions.
The Kigali treaty to stop using super climate-polluting HFCs in refrigerants.
The chemical companies creating cleaner materials.
The engineers working on more efficient batteries.
Solar and wind companies inventing better ways to harness clean energy.
People fighting to protect sacred lands from pipeline desecration.
Our President Obama, and our EPA Chief Gina McCarthy creating and defending America’s Clean Power Plan, to get us on a path to lower emissions.
New fuel efficiency standards for our cars.
AND a historic agreement on aviation pollution.
Beginning to tackle methane leaks — another super pollutant — from oil and gas development.
There is so much good intention in our world. So much ingenuity. So much care. So much forward-thinking.
There are so many people who want to tell their children — I did everything I could to keep you from harm.
Too bad our television media doesn’t address this global threat. But they’ve just rendered themselves obsolete.
Now it is up to you, all of you. Promise to vote. Vote to protect progress, and vote for climate safety. Vote for a clean future for our children. Make your plans to get to the polls. Promise to join the best among us. Vote Love.