Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the well being of our nation and the world. In order to combat the harmful effects of climate change, such as temperature fluctuation and the melting of the polar ice caps, the United States must be committed to investing in renewable sources of energy that do not release harmful chemicals into the air or contaminate vital drinking water.

By cutting energy waste in homes, schools and hospitals through improvement in energy efficiency, not only will the health of our planet be preserved, but the American economy will improve.

Cutting energy waste saves money for families and businesses alike, and efforts to add more jobs in the clean energy sector will give many people sustainable opportunities for employment. By using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels we will no longer be releasing harmful toxins like carbon dioxide into the air, protecting people from pollution which will lead to improved health of our population and our environment. The use of renewable energy will also decrease our country’s dependence on foreign governments, allowing more American money and jobs to remain at home.

The tax code must also reflect our commitment to a clean energy future by eliminating special tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuel companies as well as defending and extending tax incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy.

We must be committed to closing the Halliburton loophole that stripped the Environmental Protection Agency of its ability to regulate hydraulic fracturing. Fracking has threatened the well-being of so many people by risking the purity of drinking water for the sake of corporate profit.

President Barack Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline was a huge win for the health of our planet. Instead of investing in the unsustainable oil industry, Obama has chosen to look toward the future, committing more money than ever before to research and development of renewable energy sources.

President-elect Donald Trump is putting our nation, and our planet, at risk by perpetuating false information that deny climate change in order stifle the progress we have made in environmental protection. Scott Pruitt is an irresponsible, incredibly dangerous choice to head the EPA, our nation’s leading body charged with regulating practices that harm our planet’s health. Pruitt has been classified as a climate change denier and has close ties to the fossil fuel industry. A man with so much stake in an industry directly competing with clean, renewable energy cannot be expected to place any focus on investing in these new and improved forms of power. Tax breaks for fossil fuel companies will likely continue while Pruitt does nothing to encourage growth in an industry of the future.

Investing in renewable energy is an invaluable facet of a long-term plan to sustain our land, water supply and atmosphere. We must act soon and we must act quickly to fight climate change. The health of our planet is too important to wait around for politicians to come around and listen to scientific fact.