Roberta Gastmeyer, Jay Rosenbek and Lynn Frazier Guest columnists to The Gainesville Sun

In a recent New York Times article, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe was quoted as saying, “Fear is useful to wake us up and make us pay attention. But if we don’t know what to do, it paralyzes us.”

Faced with daily reports about the devastating effects of climate change, current and projected, and the enormity of the task required to mitigate those effects, it is easy to start believing that the problem is too intractable and there is not much ordinary people can do on the local level to fix it.

It is true that we must make immediate structural, economic and policy changes on the global, national and state levels if we are to avert the worst effects of climate change. But, as the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change points out, the strategies, tools and technologies required to solve the problem are available to us right now and have never been cheaper.

Local actions, motivated and supported by individual and group advocacy, are part of the solution because timely, effective policies often occur first at the municipal level. Cities and counties throughout the U.S. have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, hired personnel dedicated to climate policy, created climate action plans and started successfully implementing these plans.

The League supported the city of Gainesville’s Declaration of Climate Emergency and its resolution to be powered by 100% renewable electricity and have net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. We have remained an active participant in many of the subsequent climate actions and are currently focused on the following three:

• The city and Gainesville Regional Utilities, both under new managerial leadership, are each working on hiring climate-focused staff. The League believes these new hires are critical to creating and implementing a comprehensive and coordinated climate action plan that will accelerate our transition toward a clean and equitable energy economy.

• The city is also starting to discuss the role vehicle electrification will play in our transition. The League promotes the establishment of an electric vehicle policy that would, at a minimum: increase the number of electric cars, trucks and buses in the city’s fleets; expand electric vehicle charging access; and develop education and outreach programs. The League is committed to ensuring equitable access to clean transportation since minority and low-income communities are more likely than others to suffer the effects of air pollution generated from both gas production and tailpipe emissions.

• Finally, the city is evaluating GRU’s current gas rebate program that provides up to $1,600 in subsidies for gas appliances, 88% of which go to developers of new, expensive homes. To meet our emission reduction goals, we must halt all new or expanded uses of “natural” fossil gas, which means GRU must stop extending gas pipelines and expanding its use through pervasive advertising and rebates. The League of Women Voters' Natural Resources Committee has been advocating for elimination of these rebates and supports the creation of a new rebate structure that will work to reduce high electricity bills of low-income households.

By focusing on the things we can accomplish in this community, the community we know and care about, we can more easily face the reality, overcome the fear, prevent the paralysis and take the steps needed to stabilize our climate. Thanks to the many dedicated local organizations and individuals, positive actions are being taken in our community including increased solar power, regenerative agriculture practices, and preservation of woodlands and wetlands.

Of course, the fate of these actions may depend, at least in part, on upcoming city elections. The League will be hosting non-partisan candidate forums for the primaries in June and general election in November. We encourage you to attend, and learn more about candidates and where they stand on issues that are important to you. And then vote!

Roberta Gastmeyer and Jay Rosenbek are co-chairs of the Natural Resources Committee of the League of Women Voters of Alachua County and Lynn Frazier is president of the group.

As published by The Gainesville Sun, April 29, 2022

See the original article here: https://www.gainesville.com/story/opinion/2022/04/29/league-women-voters-take-action-gainesville-climate-change/7442630001/