We face the ultimate emergency in climate change – extinction. Once the climate is tipped, no human actions will prevent the release of millions of tons of trapped methane, resulting in collapse.
The scientific reality of a tipping point requires our immediate, determined action to cut carbon emissions.
Unfortunately (and despite valiant efforts by some), Durango’s City Council has spent a long decade of deadlocked climate inaction. Now it seems finally on a path toward commitment and action, but it needs input from residents.
Through a Colorado state program called Energy Performance Contracting, our council will receive a comprehensive assessment of public facilities upgrade options – including the potential for solar installation – to be completed next spring. Let’s applaud them for taking this worthwhile step.
But bureaucratic red tape poses a problem. Each year’s budget is planned the preceding fall, so the 2020 budget is now on the table. It’s very clear that we could install considerable solar on city buildings, and thereby save money and cut carbon emissions. But if we fail to budget for such projects this fall, 2020 will be yet another year of waiting.
$300 million over ten years is projected to fund Parks and Rec; a comparable amount should combat climate extinction.
Please tell our city manager and city councilors to richly fund potential renewable energy projects in 2020, at citymanager@durangogov.org, by Aug. 28.
Karen Pontius
Durango
