“As a proud Republican, I believe that taking a strong, decisive approach to tackling climate change is consistent with my conservative background. Preserving what we have so that we can pass it on to our children and grandchildren is a concept at the very heart of conservatism,” R. Rex Parris writes in the Bombala Times. As Mayor of Lancaster, California, “a politically conservative, predominantly Republican community,” Parris set an example of “how municipalities can take local control and blaze a trail toward sustainability.” From requiring solar for all new houses to setting the stage to become the first public transit agency in the country with an all electric bus fleet, the city set its sights on “becoming a global leader in alternative energy” while in the process creating jobs, driving investment and growth, and “driving down unemployment ratesas well as greenhouse gas pollution.”
“The clock is ticking,” he writes. “Climate change is here. The science is irrefutable, and we’re already feeling its effects. If we don’t take action to increase renewable energy and reduce our emissions now, we will miss the window of opportunity to halt escalating global temperatures. This is no time to play politics. Political party affiliation shouldn’t determine whether we are for or against combating climate change. Officials in all levels of government worldwide must put ideology aside and commit to policy that drives down energy and transport emissions.”
For more great examples, check out his full opinion piece.