— from Dave Pringle, State Senate Communications —
Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, released the following statement following President Trump’s announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord:
“Today, the president announced his ill-advised decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, an international treaty to designed to combat climate change by keeping global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
“This reckless action cedes leadership to other nations, and combined with the president’s proposed budget, shows a continued lack of leadership in protecting the environment and economy for future generations. Now, more than ever, states must step up. In Washington state, we can continue our global leadership in cleaning up and protecting habitat, investing in clean and renewable technology and educating our children about the environment, but now we must do even more. It is time for our state to put a price on polluters and meet our goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020 and further reduce emissions 25 percent by 2035.
“People from across Washington state, from every community, are demanding action now to protect the next generation by working to create healthy communities, sustainable energy, green jobs and protection of our beloved, outdoor areas. We cannot wait longer to address this global threat. With the Trump administration’s lack of leadership, it is up to us here in Washington to lead the way in the fight against climate change.”
Full agreement here! And at our level, it isn’t up to the federal or state governments, it’s up to us. Others will not save this planet for us; it’s our planet and we have to save it. All the governments in the world won’t save the planet if each person takes their own “little bite” out of the general welfare. And no government can stop a movement of determined individuals each acting on their own, conserving, using electricity instead of fossil fuels and buying locally. It’s not so much the shouting, it’s the doing that cascades upward into banks and boardrooms.