President Biden is setting out to create a Civilian Climate Corps, which would be a current-day counterpart to the Civilian Conservation Corps.
“Building on Biden’s oft-repeated comment that when he thinks of climate change, he thinks of jobs … the $10 billion program would address both priorities as young adults find work installing solar panels, planting trees, digging irrigation ditches and boosting outdoor recreation.
“‘We must seize this opportunity to build a big, bold pathway to critical careers, for a diverse generation of Americans ready to take on this existential crisis that we face,’ said Ali Zaidi, deputy White House climate adviser. …
“The effort comes as the White House and many Democrats are intensifying their focus on climate change after a series of devastating storms recently battered parts of the nation.”
I hope this idea comes to fruition. It would provide a lot of people with useful work and a roof over their heads while addressing climate change.
Today when I was grabbing a cup of coffee at my local minimart on the way down to the beach to watch the sunrise, I noticed that an extra-spicy snack food billed as the “One Chip Challenge” had been given a new, bright-yellow warning sign, enjoining store employees to educate themselves and customers on “the intensity of this product.”
I commented on it with a laugh to the morning guy who works there, and he offered to let me try the product. “No thanks!” I replied with a laugh.
I didn’t say this but I felt it: “I don’t need to buy extra-spicy challenges; they are all around us.”
And I pictured myself on a trail with a shovel, working for the Climate Conservation Corps or equivalent. Yep, we have plenty of spicy challenges and, despite being of a life-or-death nature, they might even be fun, and bring people together. And offer people a form of housing security, and community. Not just young people, but older people who still have something to give; don’t want to fade away and stop being useful.