Every Earth Day, we hear a lot about the little things we can all do to help the planet; recycle, trash clean-up, take public transportation, wash clothes in cold water, the list goes on. The little things are important, they can make a difference, but won’t solve the climate crisis.
There is going to have to be some heavy lifting and debate about policy. A better understanding of what’s being done, or proposed is another small thing you can do.
Over 70% of the country believes climate change is happening, according to the latest Yale University polling.
Similar statewide polling by Indiana University “75% of Hoosiers support (“somewhat” or “to a great extent”) initiatives designed to prepare for the effects of climate change in Indiana communities” There is overwhelming sentiment to do something.
We are looking at the big picture, what it takes to tackle climate change, and the policies being rolled out by President Biden during his first months in office.
One of President Biden’s first actions in office was to return the United States to the Paris Climate Accord, and soon after revoking permits for the Keystone XL pipeline.
"I think the revoking of the XL pipeline was quite a big move. We don’t know how much oil was going to be brought in by that pipeline, but revoking the permit closes that door completely. It cuts our dependence on oil and gas from that pipeline," said Lingxi Chenyang, an Environmental Law Fellow at the Maurer School of Law at IU. "I think the Paris Climate Accord was a big move, just for signally that the U.S. is all in on climate change."
The old way of thinking of infrastructure was roads and bridges, but the latest plan from the Biden administration is more transformational.
