The Need to Choose Government Officials Who Care About the Environment

 

Even if lots of people in the United States and across the world believe in climate change, it is difficult creating meaningful policies to effect change because there are people in office who object. The United States government even pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement even though many Americans support it, because the current president is against it.

There are also some excellent bills to protect the environment that are currently in the House of Representatives in the U.S. but are not moving forward because several people in power are voting against the bills.

Therefore, if you believe in climate change and you want action right now, the first thing you need to do is to choose people who believe in climate change to be in a position to create meaningful legislation. You need to vote out of office those who are still skeptical of climate change and are objecting to any bill that could help save the environment.

When more representatives believe in climate change, it will be easy for some environmental protection bills to move forward.

Politicians can have a change of heart

When the message from the people is strong, it is difficult for politicians to vote otherwise. For instance, there was a time when even former president Obama was against gay marriage. Eventually, his views evolved because he saw the loud voices from across the political spectrum and racial divides, supporting people’s right to marry. Even some of the most conservative politicians have had no choice but to take a step back because they know it is a lost cause.

The same thing can happen with climate change policies. It might seem challenging to enact real changes now because people in power remain steadfast in their beliefs. Climate change is also not among the most pressing concerns in the minds of American voters when they head to the polls. Compared with national security and healthcare, environmental protection is way behind. However, if it is a priority for many Americans, and their voices keep growing louder, real policies could happen.

Don’t wait for the next election

Although you can show your voice as you head to the polls, the sad reality is that elections don’t happen all the time. Once in power, you need to wait for another two years or so before replacing the wrong guy.

You need to act now and start the changes at home. For instance, instead of waiting for the local government to respond to waste management and segregation issues, you can do it at home. You can teach your kids how to be responsible for dealing with waste. You can tell them how they can reduce waste products. You can also show them what items to recycle and in what ways these things can be reused.

Another thing you can do is hire a debris removal company to come over and pick up your trash. They know what to do with what they collect, and you know these things will be going to the right places.

It is frustrating to see the inaction among government officials, but you can’t wait for them.

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