I don’t know about you, but my parents never told me stories of their childhoods involving feelings of perpetual anxiety surrounding our hasty downfall into unreturnable climate disaster. Call me dramatic, but when this message is told to us again and again it starts to become part of our outlook on life.

Climate anxiety is something I have struggled with throughout my life, accelerating in high school when I learned the hard truth. We are rapidly approaching a 1.5 degree global temperature increase, and are projected to reach 2 degrees by 2100, a point of no return. The amount of CO2 in our atmosphere is around 420 parts per million (ppm), while it is understood that 350 ppm is the maximum in order to sustain a liveable planet. Each summer is simultaneously the hottest summer on record and the coolest summer for the rest of our lives. This is terrifying! Imagine being a 15-year-old and being told we are approaching a point of no return. It feels shocking. Dangerous. Hopeless. This spurred anxiety and despair as I thought about my future. How am I supposed to thrive when the world we inherited has been so badly abused

The effects of climate change and a warming planet cascade into every corner of our lives. The pollution created from burning fossil fuels for energy, combusting gas for transportation, and manufacturing for our consumerism directly drives the climate crisis. We KNOW this. So, why are people proposing a bill that would increase this pollution?

I would vote no on I-2117 as someone who wants to fight for a future that can sustain all life. I want a future where humans, plants, animals, and microlife can all thrive in equity, and this initiative is taking steps to harm that future. I-2117 would get rid of the cap-and-invest program installed by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). This plan caps the amount of carbon-based pollutant emissions that a business or entity can emit through auctioned carbon allowances. If they go beyond their allowance, they get fined. This money then goes into projects that help us mitigate the negative effects of climate change and help us form long-term habits and lifestyle choices that are less impactful on the planet. In other states, this program has been shown to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is necessary in order for us to curb the effects of climate change. THIS is how we create a liveable future. For me, for you, for our children, and every being on this planet.

I would vote no on I-2117 as a student. Oftentimes, having a car at college, especially if you come from out of state, is impractical and expensive. Being one of those students, I rely very heavily on the bus system to get me around town, to grocery shop, get to and from work, and to explore Spokane. The CCA funds projects to increase the access and reliability of public transportation, like the Division St. rapid bus system that’s planned as of now. I-2117 would rescind the funds that are necessary for this program, which means that there would be no increase in access, which would be a loss for the Spokane community and the student population.

I cannot vote in the Washington state elections because I am not a permanent resident of Washington, but if I could I would vote no on I-2117. And I urge you to do the same, for the students, the community, and our future.