Many Floridians are noticing that the climate is changing. Sea-level rise, record-strength hurricanes, salt-water intrusion… residents of this state are literally “feeling the heat” and many are working on ways to deal with it.
Uli Nagel, 57, a Pilates instructor from the Berkshires, MA, whose clients include many Floridians during the summer, is traveling the state to learn more about how locals, from elected officials to scientists to surfers to students and fishermen, think about Florida’s environmental future. As well as listening to their stories, Nagel is sharing information about her work with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan group whose citizen members lobby every office in Congress to put a price on carbon and return it to the people as a dividend.
She has pedaled from Miami to Cape Canaveral and across to St. Petersburg in a “velomobile”, a new kind of electrically assisted tricycle called a PEBL, first invented and built by a teenager in Massachusetts.(www.better.bike)
“A few things came together for me in the past year,” Nagel says. “I learned about the critical state the oceans are in. And I joined Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which is working toward implementing a carbon fee and dividend, a solution to the climate crisis that effects the whole economy and could have broad, bipartisan support.”
A longtime bicycling enthusiast, Nagel bought the PEBL, a vehicle that bridges the gap between a bicycle and a car.
“It’s a good example of one creative solution to a big issue. Transportation has now overtaken power generation as the most carbon intensive sector of the economy,” Nagel says.
“This is my first visit to Florida and I am excited to get to know people here. Your beautiful state has much to teach the rest of the country. Not many people know, for instance, that the bipartisan Climate Caucus in Congress was founded by Floridian Republican Carlos Curbelo and Democrat Ted Deutch. Together with another 68 members of the house-34 Democrats and 34 Republicans-we are looking to these pioneers to take steps to set our nation on a path to clean energy and a sustainable climate.”
“Action can come in all sizes and shapes, one of which is exercising our right to petition our elected officials. One of my goals is to share the power of this with as many people as I can, to help preserve the quality of life not just in the state of Florida but in our country and on the whole planet for our children, grandchildren and all the generations to come.” Additional Informationhttps://www.facebook.com/events/1732532550111001/http://www.peblingforacarbonfreefuture.wordpress.com/http://www.better.bike/
