COP 25, the United Nations climate conference, ended on Friday. How many people even know what COP stands for or what it is trying to do? Our climate is collapsing yet only a few people talk about it, or realize what a tragedy is happening.

Instead, business continues as usual. We approve natural gas projects like the liquid natural gas plant on the Tacoma tidelands. We continue to build natural gas lines to homes. And yes, we continue to buy gas-guzzling cars. There are good, affordable alternatives to fossil fuels. We must keep fossil fuels in the ground.

Think of all the jobs that we will need to transition to clean energy — jobs in wind, solar, microgrids, and electric rail. We can do this. We just have to start before all the tipping points take us into a future that is unrecognizable.

Marty Bishop, Port Orchard and member of 350 West Sound Climate Action

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