Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act

While I need to update My Palette with personal snippets, I can't help but first write about an issue on my mind this morning. I was able to join a conference call hosted by Dr. Joel Hunter, a pastor at Northland Church in FL, that featured Senator John Kerry. Kerry and Barbara Boxer, both Democratic Senators will have a bill on the Senate floor once the health care bill is tackled (who knows when that will be!).

The Kerry-Boxer bill, known as the "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act," is a step in the right direction for better emissions controls and better alternative energy programs. You can read a little more about it in the NY Times article if you want.

The bottom line is we're damaging the environment faster than scientists have previously estimated. The Arctic shelf, once estimated to melt by 2030 is now estimated to be gone by 2013. Sea levels are rising. Nations are fighting over decreased water supplies. The earth is warming at alarming rates. The air quality gets worse every year.

Meanwhile... we wait.

The United States is one of the highest carbon emitting countries and we have to start claiming responsibility and DOING something about it. Kerry urged all on the call today to start talking and acting. He claims that many people tell the Senators and House Reps that they are concerned about climate change, but don't act.

So, instead of waiting, ACT!

Look up your Senators and write him/her to urge them them to support the Kerry-Boxer bill when it goes to the floor. For those who are caught up in the we-versus-them, the bill is being crafted by Republicans and Democrats. Besides, don't all labels fall away when it comes to the earth we share? So, click here... it's the page where you can find your Senators. Write a letter (or you can copy and tweak what I have written below) and urge your rep to support this bill. Some action is better than no action.

In the time it took you to read this, you can look up and write your Senator. Let me know if you do, because I'd love to hear about what you're doing! We're all on this earth together and each person plays a part in protecting it. This is just one way that you can!

(What I wrote that you can copy and tweak to fit you):

Dear Senator ,

Thank you so much for your work and service to residents.

As a moderate Republican concerned about our environment, I am writing to urge you to SUPPORT Senators Kerry and Boxer's "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act" bill that will be on the Senate floor very soon.

We need to increase our efforts when it comes to environmental stewardship and be an example to other nations.

While the bill omits some details, I trust that those details will responsibly be negotiated by the moderate Republicans and Democrats who have are uniting for this cause. I believe that SOME action is better than NO action. This bill is one step forward in the right direction.

Thanks for considering my opinion and representing me.

Sincerely,