Record-setting rains accompanied by hail and strong winds that resulted in power outages recently in the Grand Valley could well be followed by more of the same in the not-so-distant future.
The Western Slope is not immune, unfortunately, to many of the worst effects of our changing climate. It is already known as one of our nation’s climate hot spots, having warmed by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the industrial revolution, according to The Washington Post. That increase is twice the global average.
So far, our power outages are often over within a few hours. That may not always be the case, and it might not be good enough for the most vulnerable among us, including our families, neighbors and other citizens. Elsewhere in the U.S., people are suffering more devastating floods, deadly tornadoes and catastrophic wildfires as our atmosphere heats up.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
We can help by making sure our elected officials know about our concerns, and not just about our need for reliable power. We can make clear to them that we expect action to address the bigger issues that contribute to our warming atmosphere, and damage our health and our homes. The continued overuse of fossil fuels, increasing atmospheric levels of greenhouse gasses, and the release of toxic pollutants all have serious consequences for us and our families.
Those issues can seem overwhelming to us as individuals, but we can make a big difference when we act as a community. Let’s do that.
B.J. Smith
Grand Junction
