Editor,

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” — Eben Fodor

What is unfolding in Texas is what climatologists have warned us about for decades. Floods, storms, forest fires, the northward advance of mosquitoes, tick and diseases like West Nile and Zika; droughts; heat waves and not least, psychological impacts, are why the American Public Services Association has declared 2017 the “Year of Climate Change and Health.”

The health community has long recognized climate change as the number one health threat of the 21st century. It is why children, represented by lawyers from Our Children’s Trust, are suing states and the federal government for not protecting their future.

It is why the Pentagon recognizes climate change as a major threat to national security and why a few brave Republicans have joined the Caucus for Climate Solutions. It is why they and other conservatives including most businesses, Exxon included, favor a carbon tax.

They recognize that global warming is a Pandora’s box whose lid must be closed ASAP. We have the means to do that.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20 we will hear from the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energies about its ballot initiative. Its plan is endorsed by more than 150 Washington state based labor, environmental and religious organizations and growing.

President George W. Bush famously noted that our lack of action on climate is because “America is addicted to oil.” Hence, the USA, instead of leading, has fought every international effort to combat this crisis from 1972 until 2016, when President Obama signed the Paris Climate Accord. Now, President Trump has pulled us out of Paris.

It is a fundamental truth of addiction recovery that change is not sought until the situation gets so bad that we are confronted with the fact that our lives are out of control and getting progressively worse. Will we now forgo the dirty energy and wasteful practices of the past to save our future? Will Harvey be our bottom?

We have a great opportunity to grow our economy, protect ourselves from climate/ocean chaos and set an example for others to follow. It is about kids, justice, and jobs for a sustainable future.

Join us at on. Sept. 20 at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island, 20103 State Highway 525, just north of Freeland. Carpooling is encouraged.

Gary Piazzon, UUCWI Social Environmental Justice Council co-facilitator

Coupeville