Rick Hawley of Oregon Discusses Climate Change Demonstrations in Oregon

MEDFORD, OREGON , UNITED STATES, October 7, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Rick Hawley of Albany is afraid that Oregon isn't taking climate change seriously enough. But, unfortunately, even in this notoriously progressive state, steps aren't being taken quickly, causing a higher number of climate change demonstrations.

Why Rick Hawley of Oregon Believes in These Demonstrations

In recent years, Oregon has been home to a variety of different climate change demonstrations. For example, in March 2021, a group of climate change activists (Extinction Rebellion) gathered in Portland to demand that the city improve its steps towards net-zero carbon emissions. Ordinarily peaceful, the group chained themselves to an off-ramp and held up traffic. Are such demonstrations wise? Rick Hawley thinks so.

The city created a climate change plan in 2015 to reduce carbon emissions to 80% less than their 1990 levels by 2050. At the time, this pleased many groups. However, worsening situations throughout the state have caused impatience, even when the city reported a 19% decrease in emissions since the creation of the plan. As a result, protesters are now calling to reach not just the 80% goal but a 100% reduction by 2025, giving the city and the state just three years to adjust.

The city is already doing things like improving building and transportation output, improving urban forests, cutting back on forest fires, and minimizing food waste throughout the city. Officials report that the 19% reduction is impressive considering that the city has grown by nearly 40% during the last several years. They also report that the surrounding Multnomah County has reduced emissions by 42% during this time, getting more than halfway to their goal of 80% by 2050.

Like Extinction Rebellion and other activists, though, Rick Hawley of Albany is worried that these changes are not working fast enough. Reports about climate change grow increasingly grim and upsetting to many throughout the state. For example, wildfires have increased by 200% since the mid-century, a clear sign that warming is causing changes by creating dry weather that increases this fire risk. Even worse, the area has around 21 more days a year during which it exceeds 90 degrees.

And annual temperatures will likely rise by at least five degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. That may not seem like a big deal, but such changes can be devastating for the environment. More rainfall is likely, particularly in violent thunderstorms with a high risk of tornadoes. However, snow will continue to be less common. Unfortunately, this will result in less snowpack melting in the spring, which is critical for moisturizing the land and helping plants and various fruits and vegetables grow.

It is a chain effect: one domino falls, followed by another. And Rick Hawley of Albany believes that more must be done ASAP to save the planet. Otherwise, life will become challenging for the species by 2050 and may even be nearly impossible to sustain.

Caroline Hunter
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