Seniors - Climate Change

Hey fellow old people. I’ve never been good at being a senior citizen. I’m an old guy. I’m a retired organic farmer. At least as much retired as a farmer can be. I have been lucky enough to have one of my sons come back to the farm and want to take it over. Our farm has fought the changing market, well, since day one. He knows this and wants to diversify the farm so it will be able to withstand the market changes and adapt to the future. I am with him all the way.

The future. What will that hold for him and the future generations — our grandchildren? Climate Change and all that it continues bringing us is changing the world we knew. As a farmer I have watched the shift in seasons, when we train and harvest berries, shrinking snowpack, lower well water levels and the list goes on.

Climate Change is a beast we help let loose on the world. It was identified as a issue decades ago and we failed to act appropriately. While we were busy raising our kids we allowed Climate Change to get to the point where it will be hard to slow down. The science had it right. The way we voted, or didn’t vote, allowed the Climate Change to worsen. Our lifestyle choices allowed it to worsen.

Our generations chose big vehicles over more efficient ones. We allowed our legislators to lessen fuel milage standard - increasing pollution. We allowed continued subsidies to fossil fuels while not supporting renewable sources of power.

It was our collective voting patterns that allowed more deregulation of polluters. We cut funding to scientific research in areas that could have helped find the solutions we are in need of now. It was our generations who cut school funding. Science cannot be taught without labs and supplies.

So, now is our time to stand up and vote to protect our children and grandchildren. Like we always wanted too. Vote to work on Climate Change. We protected our kids as they grew up. Let us now move to protect them as they raise their children.

All of our future lives depend on us doing the right thing now. Things have changed around us. It is time for us to change too. Please stand with me and VOTE for a better world.