We’re All in this Together

Voting Matters, But the Planet
Needs More Than That

By Hunter Kissam

In the last few election cycles, it was fair to say that each was the most important election of our lifetimes. You could easily argue that the elections were the most important in history, as the question of human survival was on each ballot, where it still stands today.

With the 2022 midterm elections rapidly approaching, getting out the vote with the future of life on earth in mind is an essential step. One that future generations will hopefully thank us for. But it isn’t enough.

Don’t Forget the Activists

As a concrete example: the people who voted for the Kennedy/Johnson tickets were not nearly as consequential to the Civil Rights legislation of the ‘60s as the thousands of people sacrificing their safety in the streets, organizing grassroots campaigns, and placing constant pressure on their elected officials.

Environmentalists should keep this example in the front of their minds. We’ve too often seen campaign pledges “forgotten” and we cannot be fooled again, especially with such high stakes. We already see the devastating effects of climate change, and we will see them worsen in the coming years. The question is how bad we will let it get.

Currently, we are on track to reduce our emissions substantially and leverage our achievements in climate diplomacy worldwide. Regardless of how it’s reported, this was largely thanks to countless hours of work from people you’ve never heard of and from groups including Citizens’ Climate Lobby, The Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and so many others. Again, this is a historical pattern.

Voting Still Matters

However, we still need a lot more if we want to limit global warming before reaching irreversible tipping points. Politicians across party and district lines face pressure from oil companies, financial institutions, and special interests to stop progress here, at the expense of future generations. Unfortunately, some have even made it their mission to accelerate global warming, which is why voting is still so important, regardless of any alternative efforts. We can push back and make our voices heard.

While it’s never easy to look at the present from a historical perspective, imagine how future historians and professors will portray this unique moment. Will it be a testament to the triumphs of people power, or will anyone be around to study it? The answer is still up in the air. Fortunately, the decision remains in the hands of every US citizen, but only if we choose to make it.

Hunter Kissam has worked with different climate action groups in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Kissam is dedicated to fighting for a fair, just, and livable future for all of us.

We’re All in this Together is a monthly Climate Justice column provided by the Portland chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.