For Immediate Release:
Saturday, August 18th, 2013
“I Will Act On Climate” Bus Visits Asbury Park & Long Branch as Part of 27-State Tour
(ASBURY PARK & LONG BRANCH, NJ) – Today, local leaders and activists gathered at two events in Monmouth County to highlight the devastating impacts of extreme weather and climate change. The first stop was at Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park, and the second stop was at the Windmill chain in Long Branch. At both events, crowds greeted the “I Will Act On Climate” bus as it wraps up it’s 27-state tour.
Today’s press conferences come on the heels of
President Barack Obama’s historic national climate change plan announcement on June 25th. Participants called for action to mitigate the worst impacts of climate-fueled extreme weather and to plan for the future.
“President Obama’s Climate Action Plan is the first step in addressing climate change, and I am proud to stand alongside him in this fight for our future,” said Asbury Park Mayor Myra Campbell. “Obama’s plan helps communities like Asbury Park build our resilience to extreme weather. It also addresses the largest pollutant contributing to climate change: carbon dioxide from power plants. This type of action is what we need to ensure a sustainable future for our environment, for our families, and for our economy.”
“No one here will ever forget Sandy. But, we also need to plan ahead”, said restaurant owner Marilyn Schlossbach. “When we re-opened Langosta Lounge this season, we re-designed the bar and restaurant to make them better and more sustainable. Just as this restaurant planned for the future and took action, so too must we when it comes to climate change. I proudly stand in support of President Obama’s plan to address the root cause of climate change and temperature increases.”
“I’m used to seeing happy faces here at the Windmill, but there weren’t a whole lot of smiles in the aftermath of Sandy,” said Rena Levine Levy, CEO Windmill Franchise Corporation. “Almost a year later, many homes are still in ruins and many businesses are still closed or hurting. Science clearly shows that extreme weather is linked to climate change. So we simply have to do something about it. There is no downside to standing up and taking action. At the Windmill, we see this as an issue to save our beaches and our lives as we know them to be today, as well as the environment for future generations."
“As the average temperature increases because of climate change, events like Superstorm Sandy will sadly become more common, said Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich. “We must embrace ways to help local communities deal with these problems and prevent future damage caused by extreme weather. The Obama solution is a common-sense plan to reduce carbon pollution, and I am proud to stand with the President to directly address climate change.”
“Science is clear that climate change is causing extreme events to increase in both intensity and frequency – from hurricanes to heat waves and from droughts to derechos and from to nor’easters and blizzards,” said Vin Gopal, small business owner and Monmouth County Democrats Chairman. “If we don’t make changes now, ‘once in a lifetime’ storms like Sandy will become more common. We must take action on climate change to safeguard our environment, economy and shared future.”
“Superstorm Sandy made sure we all know the tragic cost of climate change,” said youth engagement activist John McCarthy. “If we have any hope of a bright future, we need to take action right now. We must embrace common-sense solutions to combat climate change – and the extreme weather, escalating temperatures and rising sea levels it brings about.”
In October 2012, New Jersey was devastated by Superstorm Sandy – the 2nd costliest hurricane in U.S. history - which left 131 dead and destroyed approximately 380,000 homes. It created a storm surge that broke the all-time record in New York Harbor. With each passing year, as storms get stronger, more violent and cause more damage, the costs of recovery from storms like Sandy continue to climb.
Sandy has affected New Jersey’s economy, as well as the environment and safety of residents. Tourism officials say that while visitors have been booking rooms, but it’s been later than usual. Moreover, the lack of rental stock has cut into prolonged stays. Monmouth County - home to more than 10,000 seasonal second homes - lost 2% of its rental properties to Sandy. Ocean County officials say rentals are off about 20-30%
Just last month, New Jersey suffered from a horrendous heat wave, the latest in a series of extreme weather events in recent years that have included hurricanes, droughts, nor’easters and even a blizzard before Halloween. As a result of these and other events, 14 New Jersey counties have received natural disaster designations in recent years.
In 2011, it was Hurricane Irene that pummeled the area. Months before that, it was a wind-driven thunderstorm “derecho.” Over 2011-2012, Sandy and 24 other extreme weather events caused damage in excess of $1 billion each -- $188 billion total – and left more than 1,100 people dead.
According to a recent report by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 8 of the 10 worst storms in New Jersey history have occurred since 1999. More events are likely to occur in the coming years. Moreover, 2011 was the wettest year on record. According to research from Rutgers University, the rise in sea level will approach 16 inches by 2050 and 44 inches by 2100.
President Obama has presented a broad, common-sense plan for meeting our obligation to protect future generations from climate change. His decision to take action to cut carbon pollution from power plants is particularly important since there are no current limits on carbon pollution from power plants - even though they are its biggest source. Industrial carbon pollution was just measured at the highest levels in human history. Obama’s plan also calls for infrastructure improvements to deal with the effects of climate change, and new investments in clean energy and energy efficiency.
Poll after poll shows that a majority of Americans want climate action now. 65% of voters support “the President taking significant steps to address climate change now,” according to a
February poll for the
League of Conservation Voters.
