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Combat the climate crisis before there’s nothing left to build back

Combat the climate crisis before there’s nothing left to build back

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 15: Native and other environmentalist groups gather outside the US Capitol on the fifth day of "People vs. Fossil Fuels" protests in Washington, DC, United States on October 15, 2021. Protesters hold banners demanding the U.S. President Joe Biden to reject fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency while police take security measures. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Given the polarizing times we live in, it is comforting to see that Americans can still find common ground when it comes to protecting our nation — and planet.

A September 2021 PollYale and George Mason universities found that nearly two-thirds of Americans recognize climate changes as a national emergency. A majority of Americans support policies that encourage the transition to a clean energy economy, and reduce industrial pollution.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 15: Native and other environmentalist groups gather outside the US Capitol on the fifth day of "People vs. Fossil Fuels" protests in Washington, DC, United States on October 15, 2021. Protesters hold banners demanding the U.S. President Joe Biden to reject fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency while police take security measures. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

And we’ve actually got a plan for this, though it’s stalled in the Senate: The climate portion of Build Back Better.

“It’s not just environmental activists like me that want this,” said Helen Tai, a former Bucks County state representative and longtime local environmental advocate. “This is very popular and it’s a moral imperative.”

It’s true.

According to poll after poll, this is the truth. As fact, The Guardian reportedThe consensus that we face a climate crisis is actually growing in January, while the number climate deniers in America is actually increasing. Shrinking like the arctic ice glaciers.

Climate change is a reality that affects everyone, regardless of political affiliation.

Molly Parzen is interim executive director Conservation Voters of PennsylvaniaAccording to, when people start asking questions about their desire for clean air for their children, clean drinking water, and lead-free pipes in their communities etc., it becomes less political and more common.

Cyril Mychalejko is a teacher and freelance writer from Bucks County.

But we don’t have these things.

According to the United Health Foundation, Pennsylvania ranks number one. 47th in national air-quality. Furthermore, the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air Report gave Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties an “F” in ozone pollution, while Bucks County was the worst in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection published an interim report. ReportJanuary reveals the state’s waterways are becoming more polluted and more unsafe for drinking, recreation, and wildlife. Making matters worse, as Lancaster’s Fox43 revealedAugust saw hundreds of schools in Pennsylvania suffering from lead-contaminated drinking waters due to lead pipes.

Extreme weather is another matter.

“We have had major storm events just this past summer,” said Tai. “It’s real. It’s hurting people. It’s hurting businesses. People need help. We just can’t afford to wait.”

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