Bend should take action on climate change

Kudos to The Bulletin for publishing Ken Wilkins excellent Guest Column, “Bend should lead on clean energy”, as well as for their previous op-ed informing the citizenry of a proposal to soon be presented to the Bend City Council by the Environment and Climate Committee (ECC) that would advance the transition away from fossil fuels towards electrification required by Bend’s Climate Action Plan. That op-ed also encouraged input from the public to the City Council on these proposals — whether pro or con. If not yet clear, I am deeply entrenched in the pro camp.

The increasingly devastating, impossible to ignore impacts of global warming, make the necessity of urgent and bold action essential at every level of government. The overwhelming consensus of evidence confirms that fossil fuels are a major contributor to climate change. As Ken’s article reminded us: every building connected to the gas grid will lock us into decades of future emissions and reliance on an energy source that we must transition away from as expeditiously as possible if we are to have any chance of meeting our local and state GHG emission reduction goals. I encourage the Bend City Council to embrace an innovative and courageous leadership position and adopt the strongest possible electrification resolution; to couple that with enhanced efforts to increase local, green energy production/storage capacity for our city; and by doing so, build the foundation for a more resilient, sustainable, healthier, and equitable community for all.

— Emilie Marlinghaus, Bend

A peaceful transition

For over four years since the 2020 election, there has been a steady cacophony of “stolen election” shouts, of “stop the steal” cries, of claims of corrupt election officials, of “illegals voting”, of fraudulent voting machines. There have been countless failed election lawsuits; election workers’ lives have been upended. We witnessed the storming of the Capitol to attempt to overturn the election results. We heard “I should have never left the White House.” In anticipation of the 2024 election there has been installation of bullet proof glass, panic buttons and strong door locks in election facilities. But since this election last week only silence and calm. No claims of fraud. No lawsuits, no shouts of stolen election or improper voting! We actually heard a gracious concession speech, and have learned of an invitation soon to the White House for the winning candidate! Amazing!

— Ronald E. Carver, Bend

Help them pack

I read that internet searches for friendly foreign countries to which to migrate have increased greatly since Trump was re-elected. Presumably the people interested in migrating are folks who voted for Harris, view Trump as the devil incarnate, and believe that democracy is dead because Trump is going to declare himself dictator. In order to assist these folks in their migration plans, I suggest that anyone planning non-essential international travel in the next few weeks or months delay their trip(s) so that these potential ex-patriots will have an easier time finding transportation to their new homes abroad (where political conditions will no doubt be more amenable to their own beliefs). We should do all we can to speed their departure, should we not? Perhaps we could even help them to pack!

As an aside, I find it interesting that there was no great increase in would-be immigration abroad when Obama and Biden were elected. Perhaps conservatives are better able to weather political setback than our more liberal brethren?

— Mike Koonce, Bend

Do you have a point you’d like to make or an issue you feel strongly about? Submit a letter to the editor.