Dateline 2075
        Jenny Rayshuns-Toocome spread open her great-grandmother’s huge scrapbook. “Never forget the 20-20 foresight folks had in 2020,” Granny had admonished her.  “Those were hard times, but we kept our wits about us and thought of you, Dearie.” 

        Gone now but fondly remembered, Jenny flipped through Granny’s collection of news clippings and mementos.  Articles about Covid-19, racial unrest, unemployment, and school and childcare challenges filled the first half of the book.  The second half was entitled: Environment.

        And oh, the articles that filled those pages!  Rising global temperatures resulted in the nine hottest years on record occurring in the fifteen years prior to 2020.  The increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases melted the sea ice in the Arctic so that only 50% remained compared to that of the 1980s.  Then the fires!  The number of square miles burned annually across the three west coast states was six times the average between 1950 and 2000.  The hurricane season? - a  record breaker!  Meteorologists had to reach beyond the English alphabet with Greek letters to name the oh-so-numerous storms.  All-in-all it was a financial, infrastructural and human-misery mess.

        Clearly, something had to change.  Perhaps an inspiring message from Dr. Sandra Steingraber triggered that change. ”We are all musicians in a great human orchestra, and it is now time to play the Save the World Symphony.  You are not required to play a solo, but you ARE required to know what instrument you hold and play it as well as you can.  You are required to find your place in the score.”

         One by one the “instruments” began to join that musical score.  Clean, renewable energy and battery storage became the low-cost, preferred option for energy generation.  Then Covid-19 forced much of society to shift to at-home work and distance learning so  transportation fuel use dropped, and the skies began to clear.  Society was beginning to embrace the fact that transitioning away from dirty fossil fuels didn’t have to mean monetary pain but could actually mean financial savings and economic growth.

        As the “instruments” tuned up, all that was still needed was effective policy and leadership to direct the Save the World Symphony.  With 20-20 foresight, folks headed to the polls and chose conductors who would wisely direct that great human orchestra and save their planetary home where countless future generations to come will be forever… Earthbound. 

        Bea and Ima set out on their journey but were uncertain about the best route.  Nevertheless, down the path they went until they came to a fork in the road.  A couple of sketchy looking fellas were beckoning them to head their way.

        “Come on down ladies!  Lots of fun this way!” Rumor and Hear-Say called out.  “You can believe any old thing you want or just make stuff up yourself, the juicier the better!”  Ima and Bea took a few steps that direction and then thought the better of it and turned back to the main road.

        They hadn’t gone far when they came upon another split in the path.  Looking down one side they saw three gals lounging on hammocks sipping tall frosty drinks.  The three figures waved. “This way ladies.  Take a load off!  Let us fix you a drink,”   Convenience, Bias, and Preconceptions called out lazily.  “Wow! This looks like the easy route.  Should we go this way?”  they wondered.  But they resisted the temptation and continued on down the main lane.

        After traveling a bit farther they approached yet another fork in the road.  A lone, disfigured, ugly wretch yelled at them from one path.  “Don’t be a fool.  You’d be crazy to go that way.  Do you know what could happen to you?  It’s doom and disaster I tell ya,” Fear warned.  “Maybe we’d better do as he says,” Bea suggested. “Oh, just ignore him,” replied Ima. “He’s just trying to scare us.  Let’s go the other way.”  And they did.

        Before long… yep, another fork.  One path was crowded with a raucous mob of characters all calling out, “This way!  Don’t you dare turn your back on us now.  It doesn’t matter what any of those others say.  You KNOW this is the way we always go,” screamed Tribalism, Peer Pressure and the rest.

        But on the main route a sharp-looking young fellow greeted them.  “Welcome!  Let me help you find your way.  It’s just ahead,”  Cy Ence  offered.  Then they spotted the entrance where a young girl held the door for them.  “Thanks for keeping me in mind as you decide,”  Jenny Rayshuns-Toocome smiled.

        Eagerly, the Voter sisters, Ima and Bea A. Voter, stepped into the polling place and chose leaders who will care for our only home where we and all future generations to come are forever… Earthbound.  

        “Welcome once again to the Inter-galactic Broadcasting Company News Hour.  I’m Whayout Thair somewhere in the universe.  Last time our correspondent, Yagotta Seethis, reported on the dire circumstances of the inhabitants of a planet called Earth.  For an update, let’s go directly to the Milky Way Galaxy where Yagotta is standing by.”

        Yagotta Seethis – “Thanks Whayout.  As you know, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from burning carbon-based fuels such as petroleum products, coal, and wood along with belching livestock have heated Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.  But Earthlings are fighting back.  Ordinary citizens, organizations and governmental bodies have sprung into action.”

        Whayout Thair – “How so?”

        Yagotta Seethis – “For example, a huge transformation is underway in electrical generation.  Clean, renewable solar and wind energy is now the least expensive way to generate electricity.  Indeed, many residences and businesses generate some or all of their electricity on their own rooftops.  Even better, humans are becoming more efficient in their use of energy.  They’re using the resources of organizations such as Focus on Energy (focusonenergy.com) to save money and lower GHG emissions.  Many feel that lowering energy use is patriotic!
           
        Whayout Thair – “Wow!” Sounds like individuals can make a significant difference right in their own homes.  Are there opportunities for those who want to do more?”
           
        Yagotta Seethis – “You bet!  Local organizations like the newly formed Iowa County Clean, Local, Energy Alliance – Now (CLEA-N) can use help with projects like its free LED light bulb exchange and its community solar initiative. The local newspaper will soon have more information on how folks can participate.  These kinds of community-based programs make it easier for humans to modify their lifestyles to save money and help create a cleaner planet.
             
        Whayout Thair – “You mentioned government involvement. What’s happening on that front?”
           
        Yagotta Seethis – “Earth economists from across the political spectrum agree that a fee charged to the companies that sell carbon-based fuels would be a game-changer.  This would incentivize the energy marketplace to transition to clean energy sources.   The money collected would be distributed back to the citizens.  In the U.S.A. these types of provisions are in a bill labeled H.R. 763.  If enacted, greenhouse gas emissions would drop significantly and the economy would grow all without additional government regulations.”
           
        Whayout Thair – “Sounds like members of Team Earthlings are determined to rescue the only home they’ll ever know where they’re forever… Earthbound.”