A bit of good news, local/global
Dear Reader,
I wanted to share with you, briefly, what I consider to be a bit of good news, about local actions addressing a very big (global) problem. What am I talking about?
How two weeks ago, large majorities of voters in Hilliard (61%), Delaware (56%), and Marble Cliff (71%), approved local electric aggregation plans, and how this is a hopeful sign of growing momentum in public opinion and policy actions related to clean energy and climate change. These positive actions by our neighbors follow Worthington’s early lead in 2018 (75% approval) and Columbus’ vote in 2020 (76%).
As we live our busy, daily lives, it’s easy to miss far-reaching changes that are happening around us. I sometimes imagine that our ancestors—living their days through what we see in hindsight as an historic pivot-point, such as the Industrial Revolution—didn’t see local developments as part of an epic transformation. But cumulatively, over decades, small changes, punctuated by big advances and upheavals, transformed all of our daily lives and the social, economic, and natural systems that support and structure them.
Right now, in the 2020’s, I believe we are in the midst of our own dramatic change, to play out in just a few short decades, in how we power both our shared economy and our individual lives. The impacts of this transformation will be profound and, if managed well, largely positive. But this happy outcome, here in 2022, is far from certain. There is much work to be done, with due haste, and in the face of inertia and opposition. Motivated by climate change, enabled by dramatic cost reductions in clean energy, we are tasked with transforming core elements of our economy at a speed and breadth (e.g., 50% reduction in emissions by 2030) that have no real historic parallel, other than, perhaps, when America became the Arsenal of Democracy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_of_Democracy).
So congratulations to our neighbors and the public officials who brought these plans before the voters. We all win when progress is made anywhere in support of our shared purpose. I want to note as well that Worthington, because of our earlier action, was able to directly lend technical and testimonial support to both Delaware and Hilliard as they considered aggregation and then campaigned for its approval. Below are links to relevant articles and a video.
I hope and expect that Worthington will continue to work both internally and regionally to lead on the related issues of clean energy and climate change. It is in our interests, both narrowly and broadly understood, to do so. Stay tuned.
Delaware:
https://www.delgazette.com/news/99557/delaware-residents-vote-in-favor-of-aggregation
Hilliard:
Hilliard promo video, Issue 35:
Marble Cliff, results from Board of Elections:
100% of precincts reporting
Village of Marble Cliff Electric Aggregation
To authorize all actions necessary to effectuate an opt-out electric service aggregation program pursuant to R.C. 4928.20
Choices
Total Votes
% Votes
Yes
280
71.2%
No
113
28.8%
100% of precincts reporting
