With early voting already underway, there are some big decisions we have to make. Who do we want to elect? The two candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both played a role in our current climate situation. Let’s dive in and take a closer look.
Joe Biden knows it is important for us to take action immediately. He wants his grandchildren to have as much potential in life as he had. If we want the Earth to be in a livable condition for future generations, we need to come up with a plan now! Biden understands the dangers of droughts, floods from severe storms, rising sea levels and temperatures, and the melting ice. President Trump on the other hand has some different views. He has unclear, confusing thoughts. He has claimed climate change to be a hoax quoting, “I don’t believe it,” as well as a problem that could maybe, just maybe be a result of human contribution to greenhouse gasses. In December 2019, Donald Trump even said, “I’m an environmentalist. I am. I want the cleanest water on the planet. I want the cleanest air anywhere."
So if Trump and Biden both have thoughts on climate change, what have either of them done about it? Trump has been our president for nearly 4 years, let’s start with him.
In June of 2017, he withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, which committed the US and 187 other countries to keep rising global temperatures below 2 degrees celsius. Withdrawing from the Agreement means he is not promising stable temperatures and will allow the temperatures to rise. He claimed the plan was not specific enough, as the reason for his decision.
Trump continued on his path by decreasing and weakening regulations when he decided to replace President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan. Obama’s Affordable Clean Energy Rule ”would have limited carbon emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants. Trump’s actions pushed our country backward in terms of fighting climate change.
A third example showing Trump’s lack of support is that he mocked then 16-year-old Greta Thunberg for her passion for changing our climate crisis now. He tweeted, “So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!” Greta Thunberg, diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, OCD, selective mutism, and Autism, took Trump and all other haters and posted their harsh comments as part of her twitter bio. Yes, Greta!!!
By contrast, Biden has been much more clear on his views. He knows climate change is a crucial concern. If you want a president who will actually take action, choose one that has already started. Vote Biden. Vote for a president who clearly, strongly believes in science. If Trump has shown us anything during this pandemic, it is that science is not his priority.
Biden’s ideas for a better future include:
investing in sustainable infrastructure, auto industry, and high-quality, zero-emissions public transportation options.
ensuring better public health for everyone by generating clean energy with a power sector. He wants to upgrade the construction of sustainable homes, buildings, and innovation. With all of this, we can have more jobs available in climate-smart agriculture, resilience, and conservation. This could allow over 250,000 more jobs.
Biden also believes strongly in Environmental Justice. This too will create more jobs and unite our country. Biden promises these jobs will be filled with both women and people of color. Learn more about Biden's plan here. https://joebiden.com/clean-energy/
Biden has some big goals in terms of climate change and environmental problems when he does get elected! In addition to his ideas going forward, he has a strong track record to date. Eighty-three percent of his votes in the senate over the past 36 years have been pro-environment. While working with Obama, Biden has already taken further leaps than Trump in terms of climate change and he hasn’t even spent a day as president.
So who should you vote for? Well, I’ll let you answer that question for yourself. But, if you want future generations to be able to live on this Earth safely, the answer is a President who cares, a president who is passionate, and a president who is certain we need to make a change because, if we don’t pay now, we surely will be paying later.
Comments