EARTH DAY: Let’s shrink divide

Earth Day reminded me of our old high school “sock hops.” Boys on one side, girls on the other, all too cool to dance.

The results of climate change are tangible now, around the world and in Coeur d’Alene. The lakes, oceans, trees, farms, animals we love and depend on are degraded. Some say it’s not happening and others say the answer is a pie-in-the sky ideal and a mountain of government regulations about everything we do.

Citizen’s Climate Lobby has a more realistic proposal. Several years ago, HR 2307 was introduced as a bipartisan alternative to what conservatives thought were the worst aspects of the Paris Accords. Sadly, now that bill has been reintroduced, but this time, only by Democrats, and with some changes many of us believe are detrimental. That’s because some of the legislators who could be most helpful… conservative Republicans, are not in the conversation.

Right now, both political parties say they can’t work with the others’ because it’s the other side’s fault. Both are right. The mess is all of our faults…together, for standing at the sideline and criticizing instead of learning, listening, and getting input from both (did I say both?) sides.

Maybe Earth Day would be a good time to start with this one problem of climate change, and see what could be done with practical steps to address one real problem. Go to citizensclimatelobby.org and learn about HR 2307 and the real economic benefits of keeping our Earth home in order.

MIKE BULLARD

Coeur d’Alene