Grant nature rights

I am concerned with the future of our community, especially in regard to sea level rise. Given the science regarding climate change it seems likely that in as few as 100 years sea levels will have risen around 3 ft at a minimum and it is my understanding that those estimates are now considered to be conservative.

This will result in a considerable challenge to keep not only La Conner from flooding, but the entirety of Skagit Valley. I remember a day in the mid 80’s when the barometric pressure was very low and tides were very high when I was talking with Fred Martin in the middle of First Street at Center and water was flowing over our boots. Three more feet of water than that will be very hard to stop.

I believe that the reason behind this sea level rise is the exploitation of nature beyond her limits to sustain herself brought about by harmful human activity. The impact of fossil fuels is one of the primary reasons for this problem and man did not even begin using the internal combustion engine until 1900 or so.

I believe that the solution to this problem is to protect the environment from abuses like carbon pollution by endowing nature with legal rights the same as people and corporations enjoy. I also believe that corporate person-hood is a phony rationale developed over a long period of time by a Supreme Court which was basically purchased by big business to allow them to lobby politicians to do their bidding.

By granting legal rights to nature we can defend nature in court from the kinds of abuses which got us into the predicament we are currently facing in the first place.

Given these circumstances it seems to me that our future can go in one of two possible directions: one is a future where the effects of climate change are denied and/or ignored so that we all wind up fending for ourselves, or a future where we all work together to mitigate those effects and cooperate to ensure a sustainable future for the La Conner area.

I believe that climate change is our greatest existential threat and while it is a daunting challenge we can demonstrate by cooperating (and by that I mean the Town of La Conner, the Swinomish Tribal Community and Shelter Bay) so that we can meet that challenge and even prosper in developing solutions.

I hope the Weekly News and its readers share that belief and will support and help in the effort to find positive solutions to this problem.