I find it difficult not to be heartbroken over what’s happening to my beautiful state. This summer saw the 20 largest wildfires in Colorado’s history. Beetles are killing our forests. Ranchers and farmers on the Western Slope are suffering under the drought. Our climate is heating up, and we no longer have the time to stick with “the way we’ve always done it” and hope for the best. We need leadership that will guide us into a better future.
I recently watched the Club 20 debates. Guinn Unger, candidate for Colorado Senate, impressed me as a man who understands science. When asked about climate change, Guinn discussed how quickly levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are increasing, accelerating the warming of our planet.
By contrast, Guinn’s opponent chose to make a joke: “The Anasazis left Colorado 800 years ago. I don’t think it was because of the Ford. It may have been the Chevy, I’m not sure.”
Guinn, a La Plata Electric Association board director, knows that we no longer have to choose between energy and environment, or to choose between environment and economy. As Guinn pointed out in the debate, renewable energy prices are falling rapidly, and there are far more jobs in solar and wind than in coal. But the change will not happen overnight. We need bold, intelligent leadership with a vision for a better future for Colorado, not someone who turns our most pressing problem into a joke.
Vote for Guinn Unger for State Senate District 6.
Philip Riffe
Hesperus