Tom Kelly & Jane Kelly understand that serious climate change is becoming ever intense and dangerous for all of us on the planet, and we need to concentrate on the local level where it's possible to have more effect.
Sue Supriano's Steppin' Out of Babylon is a radio interview series covering a broad range of important issues in today's world: peace and war, human and civil rights, communication, the media, the environment, food security, racism, globalization, immigration and matters of the spirit.
http://www.suesupriano.com
Tom Kelly and his wife, Jane Kelly, started the organization, Kyoto USA at the end of 2004. They understand that serious climate change is becoming ever intense and dangerous for all of us on the planet-- e.g. glaciers are melting even faster than anyone expected, species are going extinct at a rate never before experienced in millions and millions of years, islands are going under and becoming uninhabitable as the salt water rises, methane--which speeds up global warming even more-- is being released as permafrost melts, and on and on. All of these changes affect those who are poor and of color the most so far. We know that although Clinton signed the Kyoto Protocol-- an international agreement which reduces greenhouse gases which, in turn, speed up global climate change-- he never presented it to the Senate and that Bush withdrew the signature of the United States Government to this agreement. The US and Australia, another country which didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol, are the 2 biggest contributors to greenhouse gases. It is the opinion of Tom and Jane Kelly that, given these political realities which can lead citizens to feel powerless, it is more fruitful to concentrate on the local level where it's possible to have more effect since we are more likely to know local officials and be able to influence and hold them accountable. It is also just as likely that many small efforts will help deal with what is happening and will very likely continue to worsen. We can do what we can to both lessen effects and prepare for them. Kelly tells the story of how climate change is evident in Washington State as it has been getting only 40-50% of the snow it used to get and this, in turn, affects its electricity generation which comes from water. Progress is being made in local organizing and mayors of 180 cities have signed onto the Kyoto Protocol. Thirty percent the of the total US population lives in these cities and the momentum, including from Universities, is growing. The generally agreed upon goal is to reduce greenhouse gasses by 70% and not to wait for the US Government to take a stand. In fact, it is on the local level where the most greenhouse gases get produced. So we are urged to get involved locally and can get more up-to-date information at <http://www.kyotousa.org>
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