McALLEN — A small group of concerned community members turned out Tuesday evening for a presentation and discussion on climate change.
The meeting was part of a 23-city tour through Texas by Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, to begin a conversation about climate change.
The group’s Texas Press Officer Luis Castilla explained the motivation for the tour.
“We are encouraging the city to purchase clean energy from utilities instead of fossil fuel electricity,” Castilla said. “We can do simple things like changing your light bulbs, use efficient appliances, and transportation by using electric or hybrid cars or a more efficient car.”
Public Citizen wants the community to be proactive and call on their elected officials to make sure they are aware of the problem and consider making changes to protect the environment.
“Texas is a state that is going to suffer the most of the nation from climate change and the state that can benefit the most from climate change,” Castilla said. “If we invest in solar, in wind and in other renewables, Texas has the most potential for solar in the nation.”
Julia Jorgensen, who represents the Citizens Climate Lobby, plans to begin a chapter in the 15 th Congressional District, which includes most of Hidalgo County, to raise awareness of climate change and rally the community to address the situation.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers people from all walks of life to become advocates for a livable world. Currently, the Climate Lobby is working on a solution and that is to tax fossil fuels.
In a recent study by the Yale Program on Climate Change, 70 percent to 80 percent of people surveyed in Hidalgo and Starr Counties are “at least somewhat worried about global warming” while the rest of state is indecisive about the topic.
McAllen resident and South Texas College student Roberto Zertuche said he has always had an interest in this field since childhood and attended the presentation to learn more about the subject.
“I found this real interesting because it’s something new,” Zertuche said. “I believe when I finish studying my career, there is going to be so many jobs that are going to open in the field and believe that I’ll be prepared for that.”
The Public Citizen Climate Change Tour was moving on to Laredo for its next stop this week.
For more information, visit, www.citizen.org.
