By Sachi Bajaj
It is finally August 2018, which means the final vote of the bill SB 100 will be taken this month. This is a critical time in California right now as this is our state’s most crucial climate bill of all time. It is paramount that we take action as soon as possible because the climate is changing rapidly with various natural disasters such as floods or wildfires. SB 100 is so incredibly important because it supports having 100% clean energy by the year 2045. Moreover, with no energy from fossil fuels, this sets up our environment to be safer and protected for our future generations. With clean renewable energy, we will have cleaner air to breath, which will improve our health drastically. This largely applies to communities with low health rates due to their polluted fossil-fuel energy. Tom Werner, the president and CEO of a company called Sun Power, explains the economic benefit with SB 100 claiming that clean energy “is a significant economic force in California, creating over 100,000 jobs, driving innovation and reducing the cost of energy.” Not only are we creating a cleaner world but also boosting the economy with the abundance of jobs that will arise if SB 100 is passed. For SB 100, the statistics currently show that by 2020, we will have 33% clean energy. By 2030, it is estimated that we will reach 50% clean energy, leading us to our final goal of 100% clean renewable energy by 2045. As of now, this bill is supported by 76% of adults and 53% of republicans. Although SB 100’s success is a far reach, it is most definitely possible. Kathryn Phillips, the director of an environmental organization called Sierra Club, puts it perfectly by asserting that “getting 100 percent renewable energy is 100 percent possible and 200 percent necessary.” Let’s hope SB 100 is passed to lead us to a cleaner and safer future!
Sources:
Senator Kevin, 8-11-2017, “Help Pass SB 100: CA’s Clean Electricity Bill,” 350 Bay Area, https://350bayarea.org/event/help-pass-sb-100-cas-clean-electricity-bill
2017, 7-26-2018, “100% Clean Energy (SB100),” Focus, http://focus.senate.ca.gov/sb100
