The passage of the supplementary bill on education is a major step. However, despite a history of supporting progressive causes, the senators should be going home for the holidays with their tails between their legs.
They ignored the critical need for a climate bill. Until recently, we owned a home in Brewster, Cape Cod. Every year, we saw more devastation. Sand dunes and beaches disappearing. Salt intrusion into fresh water aquifers. We saw more seals in the ocean, sharks arrived, and then, an increasing frequency of shark attacks.
There are frequent reports about changes such as falling fish stocks and damage to nurseries in estuaries. This week, a front page article described the degenerating environment for the previously burgeoning business of oyster farming. These events are canaries in the mine, or maybe at this point, they are the miners themselves.
I see new houses rising throughout our communities. Disappointingly, many have no solar panels on their roofs. Worse, many have roofs constructed with north-south crests so they cannot be fit with panels in the future.
Once again, California is leading the nation by requiring newly constructed houses to have solar panels. Possibly more telling is that Massachusetts is one of the only states in the Northeast that has no rebate program promoting people to buy electric vehicles.
On July 24, the House unanimously passed a climate bill, but the Senate demured. Needless to say, this is shortsighted. In the short term, the bill would incentivize better use of our resources. In the long term, the bill could promote Massachusetts to be a world center for green development drawing on the expertise of graduates, business and pools of employees.
Our state has multiple climes — models for the application of green technologies around the world. Reversing changes in our climate is the existential issue of our time. There was collective applause for Greta Thunberg for her courage calling out the hypocrisy of our communities, businesses and governments.
It is time for us to lead. Pass a climate bill for our future. Now.
Michael Miller
Northampton