A Green New Century

Antarctica is melting, the Amazon rainforest is burning, and the Arctic is on fire. Climate change is the biggest threat to our way of life and a heightening global emergency. The last few years have seen one environmental disaster after another. Our soils are depleted, our trees are dying, chronic disease is at an all time high, and extreme weather events from surging heat waves and wildfires to catastrophic floods and hurricanes ravage entire communities, economies, and our American way of life. Through decades of government inaction, working-class and communities of color have borne this affliction disproportionately; and it seems inevitable that Gen-Z will be forced to shoulder this burden.

The first step to solving any problem is to come together and acknowledge it exists. The willingness to recognize the tremendous issues we face is the prerequisite for any moral and substantive action. Together, we must foster consensus and build coalitions. Americans of every stripe from liberal environmentalists to conservative conservationists share a common desire for a clean and healthy environment.

While progressive public policy discussions have done a great job in jump-starting a conversation about the scope of our problems and the scope of our solutions in how we achieve lower emissions, greater renewable energy, and protect good paying jobs; we must chart a better, more attainable path towards a cleaner, greener, and brighter future shifting our thinking from short-term change to long-term transformation. Rather than a Green New Deal, let’s embrace a common-sense Green New Century of climate innovation, clean energy independence, and becoming a global leader in rainforest preservation and marine restoration because America’s next generation deserves a walkable, breathable, and livable future.

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Combat Climate Change

Our planet is a mess. The last eight years have been the eight warmest in history. Over the last 20 years, Greenland has lost about 255 giga-tons of ice each year – a “worst-case scenario” not anticipated until 2070. Atlantic hurricanes are growing in intensity and frequency, our West Coast has been engulfed by fire, and communities all across America are enduring new waves of drought, flood, loss of agriculture and biodiversity, and toxic waste and industrial poisons that make people and ecosystems sick. Time is running out and our generation will not be gambling our future. We must:

Achieve a carbon-free America by 2050.
Enact a Carbon Fee & Dividend.
Preserve public land, water, and wildlife.
Balance decarbonization with economic development.
Divert the billions in tax subsidies oil and gas companies have enjoyed for too long and invest it in clean energy.
Responsibly transition to clean energy by incentivizing companies to adopt zero-waste cycles & clean energy sources.
Invest in greater natural disaster preparedness.
Shift agricultural subsidies to encourage regenerative practices.
Revitalize left behind coal communities.
Make our power and energy grid more resilient against heat waves, hurricanes, & extreme weather events.
Forge international agreements with other nations to implement these policies throughout the global supply chain.
Become global leaders in rainforest preservation, climate conservation, and marine restoration.
Activate the American entrepreneurial spirit to provide the innovation and technology to power us at home and abroad.

Clean Energy Independence

Today, America relies heavily on fossil fuels for our energy needs – which not only contributes to climate change but also poses dire national security risks. Dependence on foreign oil leaves our nation vulnerable to price shocks and supply disruptions, while the extraction and transportation of fossil fuels pose devastating environmental impacts. With a sustainable and secure future at stake, it’s time that we as a nation undertake a mass mobilization to achieve clean-energy independence. By investing in clean energy development and deployment – America can assert global leadership in the fight to lead a more safe, secure, and sustainable future. That means:

Subsidizing public transportation, electric cars, high-speed rail, intercontinental space transport, and other green projects.
Investing in carbon capture, energy storage, & green efficiency.
Supporting clean and nuclear energy.
Partnering with the private sector to spur climate innovation.
Easing market and regulatory barriers to innovation, deployment, and adaptation of climate technologies.
Asserting American global leadership on climate change.

Land & Wildlife Conservation

From luscious habitats and endangered species to national parks and iconic landmarks – our country is blessed to have natural treasures that define our identity as a nation. These icons of our heritage are a birthright we pass down from generation to generation. When we conserve our country’s natural gifts, we aren’t just protecting the livelihoods of people who depend on them; but also enshrining the heart and soul of our collective national pride. Let’s:

Establish a Department of Beautification to uphold national treasures to the highest standards of care and maintenance and promote new and beautiful architecture that reflects our national history and heritage.
Protect pets and farm animals from inhumane treatment.
Build new green spaces and national parks.

Expand the TVA Nationwide

In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law a federally-owned electric utility company called the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). For decades, the TVA has provided seamless stewardship of economic development and environmental conservation in the Tennessee Valley by offering flood control, wildlife conservation, and cheap electricity to local residents. At a time when one-third of American families struggle to pay for their basic energy needs, we must expand the TVA nationwide to become the American Energy Authority (AEA). By competing with private energy companies who monopolize the market and price-gouge consumers, the AEA would provide unparalleled programs to offer clean, efficient, reliable, and affordable energy for all who want it. Under the AEA, America would be one step closer to a clean, green, and sustainable future.