The Time is NOW for Global Warming Solutions

We all know climate change will affect Oregon in a huge way. Reduced snowpack will mean shallower rivers and fewer salmon, less irrigation water for agriculture, and logically less water for clean hydropower—where 40% of our energy is sourced. I’ve even seen wine-growers come to committee hearings worried about planting new grapes, since the young plants are not likely to survive the next 10 years in a shifting growing region due to the physical changes already seen from global warming. As far as I’m concerned, the impacts of global warming are exponentially endless.

But I’m preaching to the choir.

Right now Oregon has an incredible opportunity to address a few basic global warming solutions this year: it’s called House Bill 2186.

A product of over 6 years of study, HB 2186 arrives in the midst of an exceptionally challenging legislative session. Wedged between massive budget cuts and good bills dying daily because of slight financial implications, this bill is tidy and neatly packaged.

HB 2186 allows Oregon to adopt common-sense strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a range of sources. Deemed the low-hanging fruit of the climate change reduction world, tire efficiency, idling reduction, low-emission fuels, product composition, and truck aerodynamics have been studied for decades and are proven to be simple measures with big climate bang for consumer buck. HB 2186 addresses exactly these points.

Many of these strategies are already being adopted by other states, and they have the direct benefit of saving the public and businesses money due to the focus on energy efficiency and reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Priorities like these will crystallize Oregon as a global leader in the current transition to a clean energy future. We can’t wait any longer; we need to ensure we’re on the road to climate progress NOW.

The bill will be voted on soon. Tell your neighbor, and then call your representative and tell them to support HB 2186.