Vote on Tuesday, November 5th, Like the Planet's Fate Depends on It . . .

So much is at stake in the elections on Tuesday, November 5th. For those that care deeply about our planet, voting in races up and down the ballot may be the single most important thing we can do to protect our planet from climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. While many Americans have already voted early in-person or via absentee ballot, there are estimates that half or more of registered voters in the U.S. have not voted yet.

Have you considered how important your vote is to protecting our planet and people? According to this Vox article, "15 Ways the Next President Could Affect the Climate and Your Life ," The next administration will be decisive for the country’s progress on critical climate goals. By 2030, the US has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent to 52 percent below 2005 levels, and expects to supply up to 13 million electric vehicles annually.

A little further down the line, though no less critical, the country’s climate goals include reaching 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035 and achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050."

The Vox article goes on to say that, "While the next president will not directly decide how the states supply power to their new and varied customers, he or she will oversee the massive system of incentives, subsidies, and loans by which the federal government influences how much utilities meet electricity demand by burning fossil fuels — the crucial question for the climate.

In this, "Harris vs. Trump on Climate Change " article on FactCheck.Org (a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center), "Under President Joe Biden, the U.S.?rejoined ?the Paris Agreement and set emissions reduction targets. The Biden-Harris administration?made progress ?on meeting those targets, including through?regulatory efforts ?and?passing ?the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , which provide support for clean energy investment and related infrastructure . Harris?cast ?the tie-breaking vote in 2022 to pass the IRA in the Senate."

In comparison, "During his presidency, Trump?loosened ?limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, vehicles and?other sources , weakened energy efficiency standards, and?left ?the?Paris Agreement , a major 2015 international accord to limit global warming."

One of our most important agencies in protecting people and wildlife from toxic pollution and climate change is the U.S. EPA. The Guardian's article, "It Would be Devastating: Inside Trump's Plan to Destroy the EPA reports that, "Trump has made campaign promises to toss crucial environmental regulations – including dismantling the federal body (the EPA) with the most power to tackle the climate crisis."

The article notes that, "During his first White House stint, Trump successfully proposed cutting the EPA budget. Hundreds of scientists and other experts fled the agency as the administration dismissed scientific findings and weakened environmental regulations. The attacks on the agency could become even harsher during a second Trump term, experts and insiders say."

Many of our ecosystems (both on land and in fresh and ocean waters) that are critical habitat for endangered species are imperiled from development, pollution, and climate change. We are losing our wildlife at unprecedented rates. Nearly 3 billion birds, across virtually all groups of birds in the U.S. and Canada, have disappeared according to this article by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology .

And insects, the most diverse group of organisims on the planet are in trouble according to this Reuters article which states, "As human activities rapidly transform the planet, the global insect population is declining at an unprecedented rate of up to 2% per year. Amid deforestation, pesticide use, artificial light pollution and climate change, these critters are struggling — along with the crops, flowers and other animals that rely on them to survive." Who we elect to become our next U.S. President as well as Congressional, state, and local leaders will have a significant outcome on the ability to protect habitat and species that are in peril.

We have all heard that the presidential election is neck and neck. And the same is true for many critical elections in the U.S. House and Senate and at the state and local levels too. Every single vote will matter. Encourage your friends, family, and nieghbors to vote for planet and people on Tuesday, November 5th. Give rides to the polls. Talk to young voters: encourage them to vote and provide them with info on how to research candidates, find their voting location, and what their ballot will look like. Share this article with them. And take a look at the voting resources below and feel free to share additional voter resource ideas in the comments and let us know if you voted. And if you are voting on Tuesday, November 5th, vote like our planet's fate depends on it. Because it does . . .

Voter Resources:

• Find Your Polling Place
• Guide to Voting : when and where to vote and other critical voting info
• Ballotpedia : enter your address, see a sample ballot, and research candidates
• League of Conservation Voters Scorecard : see how Members of Congress are graded on past environmental votes.
• When do Polls Open and Close on Election Day
• Where to Report Voter Misinformation, Intimidation, or Voter Fraud