Our lives and the quality of life we leave our children depend on a whole-of-government response to climate change and changing weather patterns.

This is Zero Hour for Mother Earth. We have run out of time. We face together western fires and eastern floods, enormous hurricanes and anticipated blizzards, drought covering 30% of the United States while dead fish clog coastal waterways, our growing seasons are changing as health care providers get ready for new weather-driven, mosquito-borne illnesses.

Connected to our outdated and destructive reliance on fossil fuels are the poisons we keep pumping into our air, land, water, food, medicines, and everything from stain-resistant carpeting to firefighting foam. The 2017 hurricanes released cancer-causing pollutants from oil refineries, chemical plants and untreated sewage into flooded streets and homes. Climate change is connected to all aspects of our lives.

The core of our response to climate change is building economic, transportation and housing systems based on clean, sustainable, renewable energy. Where I live, New York’s District 21 and the Massena area, have particularly extraordinary opportunities for the development and manufacture of these clean, energy alternatives, such as hydrogen fuel production from the vast unused power of the Robert Moses Saunders dam.

As a Congressional candidate, I release this roadmap for clean, sustainable future:

Implement Whole of Government Response to Climate Change

• Insert climate change responsibilities in mission and measures of all agencies
• Charter cross-government Climate Accountability Board with citizen participation

Transition to Economy Based on Clean, Renewable Energy

• Support state-specific plans for transition to clean, renewable energy
• Divest public funds from fossil fuels; stop subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels; hold people, corporations and government responsible for damage and contamination they inflict on our environment
• Invest in public jobs that repair and harden our infrastructure, build or retrofit energy efficient housing, and support local preparations for weather disasters
• Build partnerships in New York to invest in research, development and manufacturing for clean, sustainable future

Questions and comments are very welcome. Also, The Green Party accepts no corporate or PAC money, we rely on small donations from regular folks like you and me. Visit my campaign website for further information.