Climate change? I Told You So
I spoke to Columbus City Council about the threat of climate change on July 9, 2024. I felt depressed afterwards since it seemed nobody was interested. It was confusing at the time, but at least now I can say that “I told you so.”
The United Nations confirmed that we are past the “tipping point” of severe climate change. We could have done something years ago, but we chose not to.
We can’t stop climate change.
Our two options are to:
- Immediately change everything about how we run the City of Columbus by making massive investments into solar, heat pumps, rainwater recycling, and building design just to survive, or…
- We experience the slow destruction of our food systems and a painful breakdown of society until it becomes impossible to survive on the surface.
This is here and now, but your Mayor and City Council won’t even admit that this is a challenge. Then again, they don’t even fully fund our Fire or Police Departments either. Making good decisions quickly isn’t what they are known for.
A fellow teacher once told me that “nobody changes until they are ready to change.” That hits me even stronger as I see the weekly Instagram posts from the Mayor and City Council that have nothing to do with our survival.
Columbus city government isn’t ready to change.
City Council hears our screams for action, but they choose not to listen. They believe in the threat of climate change and know that they should focus all of their efforts to adapting to it, yet that would be a change from their normal routine.
They aren’t ready to change and we will suffer for their lack of empathy.
I would encourage you to write and call the Mayor and members of City Council, but that has never worked for me. Maybe you might have more luck?
Severe climate change doesn’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican. It has plenty of flash floods, extreme heat domes, and tornados in Columbus for everyone.