Your vote is needed to address climate change

Over the last few months I've participated, in a small way, in our response to climate change. As I gathered signatures for Carbon Washington's Initiative 732, I've had a chance to interact with many fellow Washingtonians.

Often it was very gratifying, people were eager to sign, and even thanked me for being out with petitions. Often it was very discouraging, people were dismissive, aggressively opposed, or worse, seemingly just not interested – even pregnant mothers or parents will small children.

There's not much I can say to those who, despite overwhelming agreement among climate scientists that we must act now to retain a livable climate, truly believe the whole concept is a hoax.

I do want to speak to everyone else though. We don't need to wait for governments to take the lead in the effort to maintain a livable planet though some, like Hawaii, are taking the initiative. We, all of us, can speak out. We can make the powerful take notice.

I-732 is not perfect. There may be other, better ideas put forward at a later date but for now signing it is a way for each of us to say to our state government, to our nation, and the world that we take the climate challenge seriously and we demand action. Let's save what we have now and develop methods and technologies that will give us all a cleaner, healthier, better future.

Please sign I-732 and then gather signatures yourself. You'll be amply rewarded.

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Your vote is needed to address climate change."