Georgia Clean Energy Tour is coming Monday to Albany

ALBANY — Citizens Climate Lobby and Dr. Vernon Dixon are coming to Albany for an information session on what members of the organization believe can be done to save the environment.

At 6 p.m. Monday, the Georgia Clean Energy Tour will be at the East Albany police building, 1721 E. Oglethorpe Blvd., to inform people about ways they believe people can help solve the problem of climate change.

Citizens Climate Lobby says it is a nonpartisan organization with a goal of building the political will for a livable planet. Dixon said that science has proven that certain man-made factors are having adverse effects on the planet. He said it is up to people to put pressure on government officials to act.

One plan the CCL backs and will discuss at the meeting is the carbon fee and dividend plan. The plan is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by placing a progressively increasing fee on the use of fossil fuels, making those fuels more expensive to use than alternatives such as solar and wind power. The money realized from the fees, he said, would be returned to American citizens.

“It is the best plan of which I am aware to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate the economy,” Dixon said, “which will transition our nation to a clean energy future.”

He added that studies have shown 20 years of the program would create 2.8 million American jobs, increase the nation’s gross domestic product by $1.375 trillion, save 227,000 American lives, and increase the real spending power of two-thirds of Americans. Meanwhile, he said, the studies show the plan would decrease greenhouse gases by 52 percent.

Julia W. Bowles, executive director of Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful, said the tour is a great way for Albany residents to get involved with a national issue.

“The Citizens Climate Lobby is well known in the north Georgia area for their active educational role,” Bowles said. “Dougherty County citizens seem to be excited that this group is now bringing their educational efforts to south Georgia as it is incumbent upon our citizens to know and understand our changing environment and explore positive climate solutions.

“I look forward to Dr. Vernon Dixon’s Climate Change discussion as citizens from all walks of life need to join environmental hands and through knowledge and understanding we need to take greater responsibility for protecting and enhancing our environment.”

With December 2015 — one of the warmest in history — in the books, Dixon said he hoped that everyone was able to see what’s at stake.

“The evidence is clear that this is a severe problem,” he said. “So, what we hope to do with Citizens Climate Lobby is educate people about the problem (and) if there is a solution to it.”