Don't wait 'til 11th hour on climate change

As Americans, we look back on our past crises with pride, as moments when we stood up together, as one people, with the help of smart, brave leaders, we met the situations at hand with courage.

Our leaders led us in fighting for what we thought right and just and despite the odds given us for overcoming the difficulty, we succeeded. We won. We won our Civil Rights, Women's Right to Vote, with our Allies, we won World War I and 2. And we won the fight that started our great republic, our Revolutionary War. These efforts came at great cost and with great effort but we didn't shy away, we didn't shirk our responsibilities. We faced the reality of the situation head on knowing our families and communities depended on our success.

We are now at a similar crossroads with perhaps the greatest threat we as a race of people have ever faced. Where is the national leadership now? Where is the plan for addressing Climate Change, for reducing the CO2 that is warming our planet and threatening our children's futures? I commend the 17 Republican Congressmen who recently signed on to the Republican Climate Resolution and I applaud the growing ranks of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. (I am still hopeful that my congressman, Rep. Randy Hultgren will join one or both of these.)

There is one solution that stands out, that is within reach if we take the step, that would avert much of the crisis ahead. We would draw down the most emissions in the shortest period of time if we adopted the Citizens' Climate Lobby's solution - a Carbon Fee with 100 percent dividend returned to households. Do we really have to wait to the eleventh Hour to address this crisis? We can do this.

Monica Jenkins

Geneva