Semaj Williams
President Biden started his presidency by addressing the United States' participation in the fight to slow climate change. The president signed an executive order on January 27, to strengthen America’s engagement in the global crisis. The executive includes actions such as the deployment of new clean energy technologies and infrastructure.
The executive order that was signed by Biden has the potential to improve the Statesboro environment in the future. The Statesboro region has been impacted by climate change over the years as temperatures have increased.
This has affected the wildlife in Statesboro, as according to Georgia Southern Professor Dr. Ray Chandler who teaches conservation biology, birds such as the Painted Bunting have been spending their winters in Statesboro recently as in more previous years they were spent elsewhere.
Dr. Chandler believes that climate change is an issue in Statesboro. “It is critically important. Although we are far enough from the coast to not suffer directly from sea level rise, we will face many of the other challenges: temperature rise, excessive heat days, changed rainfall patterns, greater risk of drought, risks to wildlife and plant populations, and increased wildfire risk. Of course, sea-level rise at the coast will have implications for the regional economy that will most certainly affect Statesboro,” said Chandler via email.
President Biden’s deployment of new clean energy infrastructure could impact the Statesboro region in the future. Though it may not completely resolve the issues in Statesboro, it can help lead Statesboro in the right direction against climate change.
The new buildings are built to help lower the carbon footprint by reducing the burning of fossil fuels, which Statesboro will benefit from. Georgia generates electricity by burning fossil fuels, these plants also coal ash which is a toxic waste product. The elimination of these plants would lower carbon dioxide production and also reduce the number of pollutants that fall into Georgia waterways such as Mercury.
Local Statesboro resident Taylor Pollard seems to be excited about the new executive order. “ I feel as though this is something that is long overdue, unfortunately, the way we as humans live causes strain on the earth and its resources, so whatever we can do to combat that it is always a positive,” said Pollard.
Though Statesboro is not a heavily populated area, it does receive a considerable amount of traffic during the school year. President Biden’s executive order looks to develop a comprehensive federal clean electricity and zero-emission vehicle procurement strategy. These steady advancements in cars could have a positive long term effect on the Statesboro environment with less and less carbon dioxide being released over the years.
Electric car owner John Delgado feels as though electric cars are necessary and that everyone should have one. “If we know that using fossil fuels and the emissions of carbon dioxide is bad for the environment, why would we not take the steps to help make the world better, I mean that’s why I bought my car,” said Delgado.
The executive order put in place by President Biden does more than promote the ending of burning fossil fuels and the deployment of clean energy technologies. The executive order also pauses new oil and gas leasing on public lands and offshore waters. The executive order makes climate change a top priority for every agency, it also makes it a goal to double offshore wind power by the year 2030.