Letter: California is leading the way to a decarbonized future and communities should join in
To The Editor,
–The notion that US domestic petroleum is the “most socially and environmentally responsible source of energy production” (Op-ed April 25) is wrong on all counts. The extraction of fossil fuels, especially in the form of fracking, is extremely polluting to water supplies, often releases dangerous levels of methane into the atmosphere, and the burning of fossil fuels is the #1 source of greenhouse gases that threaten to destabilize all of Earth’s ecosystems. And California is one of the most vulnerable regions of the world to the impacts of climate change; a study just released shows how extreme weather events from climate change are going to wreak havoc on the state. It is therefore the height of irresponsibility to promote more domestic oil consumption when the price of renewable energy is plummeting and California has abundant wind and solar resources. As we electrify the transportation sector, the need for oil for cars, buses, and trucks will diminish greatly.
It is true that a ban on fracking in San Luis Obispo would lead to job losses in the fossil fuel industry, but these jobs can be more than made up for by increased jobs in renewable and solar power, which currently employs many more people in the state than the fossil fuel industry. And while there will be some baseline demand for fossil fuels for materials and other industrial uses going forward, the US is set to be a net exporter of fossil fuels within 4 years so we can import what we need from other domestic sources. Long gone are the days when America was reliant on the autocrats and dictators in the Mideast, South America, and Russia.
California is leading the way to a decarbonized future and our communities should join this movement with full force and commitment.
Study just released:
https://www.vox.com/2018/4/24/17270340/california-rain-drought-flooding-climate-change
Increased jobs:
https://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2017/02/07/california-hits-100000-solar-jobs-industry-grows-record-pace/97448780/
Net exporter of fossil fuels:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/07/united-states-will-be-a-net-energy-exporter.html
Sincerely,
Margaret (P.J.) Webb
Public Interest Attorney
Cambria
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