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With 2018 coming to an end, it’s a great time for us to look back on the Arlington Dems top 10 favorite stories and moments of the year. Check it out!

Throughout 2018, the dangers of climate change have become more immediate, with a series of devastating hurricanes, ever higher temperatures, and record-setting wildfires. A comprehensive report from a group of federal agencies was released over Thanksgiving weekend and described the dire risks in detail. (Summary.) Although carbon emissions are expected to rise this year after years of decline in the early 2010’s, the Trump administration has now announced that it plans to lift Obama administration rules requiring most new coal-burning plants to install carbon-reduction technology. While the federal government moves backwards, we must spur action at the state and local levels if the planet is to survive. One important step would be to relax existing restraints on the generation of solar power in Virginia. The Solar Freedom Bill to reverse or amend eight restrictions on solar generation will be introduced in the upcoming 2019 term of the Virginia legislature. Some of the limitations were sponsored by traditional utilities in order to make solar power more cumbersome and expensive – and thus less competitive – than their own power. Others were at least ostensibly based on technical concerns that have since been solved. None can be justified today. Because the proposed legislation would undo rather than impose regulation, it could attract sufficient Republican support to pass. Governor Northam would likely sign it. Cumulatively, these reforms would encourage production and use of significantly more solar energy in Virginia. Summary of the LegislationSome of the proposed changes would reduce restrictions on the transport and allocation of solar energy. For example, local governments could install solar facilities on government-owned land and use the energy generated at schools and other government-owned buildings, even if they are not contiguous to the generation site. Customers could attribute output from a single solar array to multiple meters on the site or adjacent properties owned by the customer. Other proposed changes would allow increases in the total amount of solar energy generated. Importantly, the 1% cap on the total amount of solar energy that can be net-metered (or transferred into the grid) in a utility’s service territory would be lifted. Customers also could install a net-metered solar facility larger than required to meet their previous 12 months’ demand. The cap for net-metered non-residential solar facilities would be doubled from 1 to 2 megawatts. Finally, other proposed changes would make solar generation more economical. All classes of customers statewide could finance installation with power purchase agreements under which the generation facilities installed at a property are paid for by a third party, which thereby earns a tax deduction, while the property-owner can purchase the resulting solar energy instead of relying only on dirty power from the incumbent utility. Owners of a multi-family residential building also could install a solar facility on the building or surrounding property and sell the electricity to tenants. In addition, certain charges on residential facilities sized between 10-20 kilowatts would be eliminated. What You Can DoThis legislation can pass if it generates popular support, but may not succeed without that support. You can help: Find out your state representatives here: https://www.virginia.gov/services/whos-my-legislator/ Call your state Senator: Adam Ebbin: 571-384-8957; 804-698-7530 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 30) Barbara Favola: 703-835-4845; 804-698-7531 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 31) Janet Howell: 703-709-8283; 804-698-7532 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 32) Call your Delegate: Mark H. Levine: 571-234-8481; 804-698-1045 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 45) Patrick Hope: 703-486-1010; 804-698-1047 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 47) Rip Sullivan: 571-210-5876; 804-698-1048 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 48) Alfonso Lopez: 571-336-2147;804-698-1049 (Legislative Office when in session) (District 49) Urge them to work for passage in the 2019 term of all of the provisions of the Solar Freedom Bill. Take a day to visit your Delegate and Senator in Richmond in January or February. Take some friends with you. Schedule these visits with your elected officials in advance to maximize your chances of an in-person meeting with your official. Publicize the proposed legislation on social media and write a letter to your local newspaper about the Solar Freedom Bill.

Join the Arlington Democrats for our monthly meeting at the Walter Reed Community Center! Each meeting features an overview of volunteer opportunities and upcoming events, as well as great speakers and activities! Come learn more about our plans to flip the Virginia House of Delegates in 2019. View the agenda Full event details and location

By Paul Ferguson No matter which side you were on, 2018 was a fascinating election for those who like to observe and study trends. On the local level and in three Virginia Congressional Districts, incumbents were defeated. President Trump has motivated Democratic and Independent Voters by his policies, demeanor, and ethical questions about him and members of his administration. However, as we saw with Republican Governor Hogan winning re-election in Maryland, President Trump is only one factor that voters considered. Maryland is considered more favorable to the Democratic Party than Virginia. The Maryland results show that defeating an incumbent is a difficult task. The candidate and the message matter—despite political demographics and a particular election year trend. In Arlington, Matt de Ferranti defeated incumbent County Board Member John Vihstadt.  Vihstadt is an independent who previously was active with the Republican Party. Certainly 2018 was a good year for Democratic candidates in urban and suburban areas nationally. However, it would be unfair to say that de Ferranti won only because he was a Democrat. His credentials are solid as a former teacher and an attorney who advised local governments in land use matters. He was one of the most energetic, personable, and thoughtful candidates I have seen over the course of my career. De Ferranti handled himself well at debates as did Vihstadt. Neither engaged in negative campaigning. Vihstadt stressed that he brought “balance” to the Board. De Ferranti stressed “vision.” The words “balance” and “vision” can mean different things to different people. For me, balance infers less spending and fiscal caution. Vision means clearly stating your priorities and making sure you have enough funding for your priorities. When faced with this independent/balance versus Democratic/vision choice, a solid majority of discerning Arlington voters chose Democratic vision over independent balance. De Ferranti took strong stands on renewable energy, affordable housing and addressing child hunger. He showed a commitment to progressive issues but at the same time stressed that he understood fiscal constraints and the need to solve the persistent commercial office vacancy rate in order to bring in new revenue. Arlington’s Democratic Party is as energized as I have seen it over the years. Numerous new volunteers, many of them young, were part of Matt de Ferranti’s campaign. This is a good sign for Democratic candidates heading into 2019 when two County Board seats are on the ballot.  Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey are both planning on running for re-election. Both have had impressive first terms on the County Board and should be strong candidates for re-election. In Virginia’s three Congressional races where incumbents were defeated, national Democratic momentum, Trump dissatisfaction, and a weak Republican Senate Candidate, Corey Stewart, were certainly factors. However, each winning Democratic candidate had great credentials and ran impressive campaigns. Each of the three winning candidates were women. Each focused on economic issues. Abigail Spanberger’s win over David Brat in the 7thCongressional District (Chesterfield, Henrico, Culpeper) was the biggest surprise since the demographics favored the Republican candidate. In my opinion, Spanberger was simply the better candidate. Spanberger was a federal law enforcement agent and former CIA operations officer. She is known as a skilled debater. After the first debate, Brat refused to debate again. In the 2ndCongressional District, (Virginia Beach, Norfolk area) Elaine Luria defeated Scott Taylor. Elaine Luria was a Navy officer. The incumbent, Scott Taylor, was a Navy SEAL. Both candidates had good backgrounds for this district. Scott Taylor received negative publicity when it was found that members of his staff were gathering signatures for a third-party candidate who might take votes away from the Democrat. Some of the signatures were found to be invalid and the third-party candidate was removed from the ballot. The 10th Congressional District (McLean, Loudoun, and out to Winchester) is close enough to Arlington that many Arlington Democrats volunteered to assist Jennifer Wexton, who defeated Barbara Comstock. Jennifer Wexton is a Virginia State Senator and former prosecutor. She is an energetic campaigner and fundraiser and she is comfortable speaking and debating. Barbara Comstock was unable to distance herself from President Trump. This District is close enough to Washington, D.C. that there are many federal employees there, including law enforcement, who are concerned about President Trump’s actions and statements. President Trump was clearly a factor in this election. The Democratic Party in Arlington and Virginia has tremendous momentum heading into the 2019 elections for State Senate, House of Delegates, County Board and Constitutional Officers. The candidates, messaging and organizational intensity will again matter, making the 2019 elections again critical to the future of our county and state. Paul Ferguson has served as the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Arlington and the City of Falls Church since 2008. He served as a Member of the County Board from 1996-2007.

WHEREAS despite gains over the past century, women’s rights remain less than fully protected and women continue to face pervasive discrimination; WHEREAS fifty-one percent of Virginians and Americans are women who do not enjoy permanent, constitutional protection from this right’s infringement and discrimination; WHEREAS, without the Equal Rights Amendment, the statutes and judicial decisions that have led to major advances in women’s rights are vulnerable to being ignored, weakened, or even repealed or reversed; WHEREAS the Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced into Congress in 1921 and was passed with bipartisan support in 1972, with ratification required by 38 state legislatures. To date, 37 states have ratified the amendment; WHEREAS the Equal Rights Amendment is necessary to make our Constitution conform with the promise engraved over the entrance to the Supreme Court: “Equal Justice Under Law;” therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Arlington County Democratic Committee hereby supports the passage, ratification, and implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment so that women are guaranteed equal rights under the law and so that these rights shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State; and RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Arlington County Democratic Committee urges all members of the Arlington delegation to the Virginia General Assembly to support passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in the upcoming 2019 Virginia legislative session, including through outreach to Speaker Cox, requesting that he ensure the Equal Rights Amendment receives a vote on the full House floor and that he vote in support of the amendment. Passed and Approved this Resolution on the 7th day of November, 2018. If you also want to #VAratifyERA, call your lawmakers and urge them to support the amendment. Don’t know your legislator? Find out who represents you at www.virginia.gov/services/whos-my-legislator/.

Arlington voted in record numbers yesterday for Democratic leadership. At the local level, Arlington re-elected Tim Kaine to the U.S. Senate, Don Beyer to the U.S. House of Representatives and Barbara Kanninen to the Arlington School Board, and elected Matt de Ferranti to the Arlington County Board. Working through the Arlington Democrats “Beyond Arlington” program and home-grown grassroots organizations, Arlington volunteers also spread the blue wave across the Commonwealth, through thousands of hours spent registering voters, canvassing, calling, texting, and writing postcards to voters.  The record number of volunteers and the record number of votes is a strong rebuke of the Trump-GOP’s extreme agenda and divisive rhetoric. These volunteers made all the difference in helping elect Jennifer Wexton, Elaine Luria, and Abigail Spanberger -- and turning the House blue. Jill Caiazzo, Arlington Democrats Chair, said, "Today we affirmed that the Democratic message is powerful and speaks to the values of Arlingtonians, Virginians, and Americans. The record civic engagement nationwide proves that every vote counts, every person matters, and that sanity will prevail in our great country." With respect to the Arlington County Board race in particular, she noted, “Arlington Democrats thank John Vihstadt for his service to our community. Today, a decent person lost, and a decent person also won – the fact that both statements can still be true in Arlington should give us all hope for the future of our democracy.”

You may be wondering what you can do in this terrible time, with raging anti-Semitism and racism infecting our political discourse.  Last weekend's tragic shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh is believed to be the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history, but it is only the culmination of a recent surge of anti-Semitic incidents and attacks in this country that began five years ago. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2017 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents reported a 57% increase in incidents in the U.S. over 2016, the largest single-year rise on record. Jewish schoolchildren have been the most frequent targets of the rising tide of violent threats. While anti-Semitism has always lurked in some dark corners of U.S. political discourse, in the past few years it has seeped into mainstream conversations. Commentators have observed that anti-Semitism has featured frequently, often slightly disguised, in the remarks of President Trump. Trump famously said there were “some very fine people” among the neo-Nazi Unite-the- Right marchers in Charlottesville in August 2017, who shouted “Jews will not replace us.” On the very evening of the murders in Pittsburgh, after offering a few conciliatory thoughts, he once again launched into a diatribe against a prominent Jew: his neo-conservative critic, Bill Kristol. The neo-Nazi right and most of the crowd likely read meaning into the President’s selection of Kristol as a rhetorical target that evening. Was Trump signaling that, although he was being forced to say a few soft words, his alliance with anti-Semites remains as strong as ever? Anti-Semitism among leading Republicans is not limited to Trump. A week before the shootings, Steve Scalise, Majority Whip of the House of Representatives, tweeted that “George Soros-backed elements” were ”taking over” the Democratic Party, with the result that acts of “violence” were being committed against Republicans. Soros is of Jewish heritage, and Scalise singled out him for this baseless attack rather than other prominent Democratic supporters. Scalise is likely to move up to Majority Leader if the Republicans hold the House in the midterm elections. The dangers of this kind of talk are now manifest. Trump’s attacks against other groups have also been followed by violence. He recently claimed that African-Americans have a “low I.Q.” and called them “dogs.” On Oct. 25, a shooter killed two African-Americans at random in Kentucky, then reportedly assured a bystander that he wasn’t going to shoot anyone who was white. The same week, another angry extremist sent pipe bombs to more than a dozen prominent Democratic politicians and supporters, including George Soros and Tom Steyer, two wealthy Jewish targets of Presidential tweets. Some of bombs were addressed to the care of CNN, frequent and favorite media target of the President. What can you do to push back against this surge in violent hatred? First, speak outwhenever you encounter it. If someone raises a conspiracy charge against a Jewish person – “they’re financing the caravan, they’re paying protesters in the streets; they’re bankrolling attacks on Republicans” – call it out for what it is: anti-Semitism. If someone insults an African- American, call it out as racism. Civility does not require silence in the face of incitement to violence. Next, work to reform our nation’s disgraceful gun laws. There will always be some unbalanced people. They should not have access to guns, and especially not to assault rifles. And finally, a step you can take immediately is to vote Democratic on November 6. While some Republican commentators, especially neoconservatives, have opposed the Republican Party’s outreach to the right-wing fringe, many Republican politicians in addition to Trump, such as Scalise, have enthusiastically embraced it. Republican politicians will not meaningfully reject the anti-Semitism and other types of ethnic hatred promoted by the right-wing fringe unless and until they suffer losses, and large ones, at election time. So, vote. Virginia has identification requirements, but they are not onerous for most people. A driver’s license or passport with your local address will do. Make a plan to vote on November 6. Find out where your polling place is. Then schedule the time to cast your ballot. The polls are open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., and the polls stay open until everyone who was in line at 7:00 p.m. has voted.

By Jill Caiazzo, Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair The David Bowie-Queen classic, “Under Pressure,” has wormed its way into my headspace in these final few days of the 2018 election. As earworms go, it’s not half bad. The song is an especially appropriate soundtrack for the feverish get-out-the-vote activities happening all over Arlington right now. Canvassers, phone bankers, text bankers, postcard writers, poll greeters, Metro flyer volunteers and more have all risen to the challenge of this election in incredible numbers and with tremendous enthusiasm. This is ourselves, as volunteers, under pressure -- and our response is inspiring. The song also provides a framework for expressing my thoughts about the 2018 election. For our country, too, is under pressure. We face real challenges, at home and abroad. Tragically, these challenges are compounded daily by a President who would rather grandstand than govern. He does so with confidence that -- regardless of the wisdom or even truth of his words -- he will have the backing of Republicans in Congress and in state and local governments. Under pressure from President Trump and the radical right which he courts, these so-called leaders have buckled. They enable an extreme Trump-GOP agenda built on lies, fear-mongering, and race-baiting. This agenda has little to do with the basic needs, hopes, and dreams of everyday Americans, who just don’t need the extra pressure created by President Trump. On November 6, we can alleviate some of that pressure -- and not just by “watching some good friends {in the resistance} screaming ‘let me out’.” Instead, we can vote. For many, only a straight ticket, all-blue vote will be sufficient to relieve the pressure created by the needless cruelty of the Trump-GOP. I am, unsurprisingly, not here to dissuade you. But others -- especially those who historically have identified with a Republican Party that they no longer recognize -- are less comfortable with that approach, even though they see the clear need for a check on Trumpian cruelty. At the risk of unforgivable hokeyness, I ask those voters to consider this lyrical entreaty from “Under Pressure”: “why can't we give love one more chance?” For I do think that the choices for Arlingtonians in this election come down to one word: Love. In our Senate race, Tim Kaine faces Republican Corey Stewart, who has vowed to conduct “the most vicious, ruthless campaign” in order to become “the president’s number-one partner in the Senate.” Stewart seeks to fan the flames of division, while Kaine strives to achieve a Virginia that works for all. We need Kaine’s solutions-oriented decency now more than ever in the Senate. We likewise need Don Beyer’s continued strong voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has been a leader on environmental issues, especially climate change. And he has not hesitated to forcefully (but never rudely) call out the extreme Trump-GOP, including for their heartless attack on medical coverage for pre-existing conditions. He will provide the needed check against Trumpian cruelty. In our most contested race in Arlington, Matt de Ferranti seeks to replace an Independent incumbent on the County Board. Among the many reasons to support Matt’s proactive vision for our community, Matt’s focus on eliminating child hunger in Arlington has risen to the forefront in recent days. His opponent, in contrast, needs “an explanation of why” this problem is such a concern in light of competing policy priorities (including, rightly, senior hunger). The “why” comes down to the single most fundamental issue of our time: how do we solve the dramatic inequities in our society which have driven Trump’s anger-fueled ascendancy? To have any chance of restoring the civility and openness -- the sheer sanity -- of our great country, we must ensure that all of our neighbors feel hopeful about their children’s well-being and future. Nothing is more important to a parent. The reality (and the shame) is that not every child in Arlington can afford to have a shiny purple lunch box, or even a dull brown paper lunch bag. We must make closing the opportunity gap a policy priority, so that we can begin to rebuild the trust in the American Dream that is so critical to achieving all other policy priorities in a collaborative manner. Matt’s heartening focus on equity answers a question which is so essential to the future of our country in this Trump era -- and, yet, it is a question which his opponent apparently does not even understand. Matt is the better choice for our community’s shared prosperity. Barbara Kanninen rounds out the races on the Arlington ballot in her School Board reelection bid. We face difficult school boundary and capacity issues that require equal measures of judgment and heart. Barbara has a proven record of balancing the needs of the whole community, from students and parents to teachers and staff. She has taken tough votes, including on the name change for Washington-Lee High School. She is a leader who understands that we should be teaching our children to honor civil rights heroes, not Civil War traitors. We can trust Barbara to guide our excellent school system with wisdom and empathy. Love is not “such an old fashioned word” in Arlington that we cannot act upon it at the ballot box, or in our daily lives for that matter. Because, as the song goes, it's true: “love dares you to change our way” -- and that is precisely what we must do at this pivotal moment for our divided country. This is ourselves, as citizens, under pressure. Be daring. Show the world, our children, and ourselves what we're made of on Election Day, and beyond.

Join the Arlington Democrats for our monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 PM! This month features an election recap, updates, and a civic engagement fair. Meetings take place in the ground floor conference center of the NRECA building in Ballston (4301 Wilson Blvd).  Parking is available on the street and in the building (entrance on N. Taylor Street, validation available). View the Agenda | View the Presentation Slides Full event details and map

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? More than 100 children taken by the Department of Homeland Security from their parents at the border under the Administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy remain in government custody, still separated from their families. Some of the parents have been deported and are now hundreds of miles away. Some of the children are less than five years old and have been in detention, apart from anyone they know, for months. The government apparently never had a plan for re-uniting the families it separated. It did not give parents any information about where it was taking their children. One judge demanded of a government prosecutor, “I can’t understand this. If someone at the jail takes your wallet, they give you a receipt. They take your kids, and you get nothing? Not even a slip of paper?” The government also failed to take even rudimentary steps to keep track of the children. It did not give children, even those too young to talk, a wristband stating their name. In most instances, it also failed to photograph or fingerprint them. Now, despite being subject to a court order to re-unite the families, the government has essentially stopped working on the problem. Instead, it has claimed to be taking steps that it has not, in fact, taken. In the face of reports about communication problems between the Department of Homeland Security, which separated the children, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which now has custody of them, Homeland Security officials announced in late June that they had developed a central database accessible to both departments. The Inspector General, however, could not locate the database, and eventually the Department of Homeland Security was forced to admit that there is even now no direct electronic interface between the two departments. What serious efforts there are underway to re-unite families are being made by concerned but underfunded non-profit groups. In addition, the Administration has begun funneling children who were seized trying to enter the country alone without adult family members, away from small shelters, where they receive some legal representation and some schooling, and where living conditions are subject to some local regulation. They are being moved into large camps, where conditions are largely unregulated and they receive no representation or schooling. Because of deteriorating conditions in some Latin American countries, the number of these unaccompanied minors trying to enter the country has surged in recent months. In September, the Department of Homeland Security was holding 12,800 unaccompanied minors, up from 2,400-some 16 months earlier. The Administration has responded to the growing problem with no coherent plan and with a willingness, even a conscious effort, to hold the children in miserable conditions so as to deter others from trying to enter the U.S. Like many other Trump Administration policies, it is characterized by both ruthlessness and incompetence. Arlington’s Congressional Representative, Don Beyer, has been working to re-unite separated families and to improve living conditions for immigrant children in government custody. He sought review of shelters – including some in Virginia – where there are allegations of abuse. He visited Immigration Court in Crystal City to observe how it handles the cases of small children who have been separated. He went to an immigration detention facility in Maryland and spoke to fathers whose children had been separated from them. Let Rep. Beyer know that his devoting time to this problem matters to you. E-mail his office with words of support. And vote for him in this election. While Rep. Beyer is expected to win, for that to happen, voters must go to the polls. And the size of his margin matters. If you really want Don Beyer to keep working against the cruel immigration policies of the Trump Administration, demonstrate your support by giving him a resounding victory in November. WHAT CAN YOU DO? E-MAIL CONGRESSMAN BEYER Contact Congressman Beyer. Tell him: Thank you for working to re-unite families the Trump Administration has torn apart. Thank you also for working to improve conditions at children’s detention families. Keep up the good work. VOTE FOR CONGRESSMAN BEYER Make sure you are registered to vote. Voter registration for November’s election ended on Oct. 15. You can vote absentee, if you qualify – for example, if you will be working at a job outside the county on Election Day. The Arlington County Board of Elections in the Courthouse neighborhood, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., is now open for absentee in-person voting during weekday working hours and on some upcoming Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Otherwise, find your polling place and make a plan to vote on November 6.

By Rebecca Brenner On Saturday, September 29, Arlington Young Democrats gathered at the Ballston metro to divide among a few cars to drive to Williamsburg. My car listened to hits of the 1990s and 2000s, which is a perk of canvassing with people who grew up with the same music. Once in Williamsburg, we canvassed for Elaine Luria, a progressive candidate, Navy veteran, and small business owner, who is running for US Congress in the Virginia 2 nd district. The campaign headquarters fed us hamburgers and hotdogs and delivered a pump-up speech, and then we were on our way. Knocking doors for just a few hours entails a wide range of experiences. Apartments are especially easy to canvas because they are close together. We met several enthusiastic Democrats, which is always encouraging. Few canvassing trips are complete without getting mildly lost once, which is why walking in pairs is important. Even better is when you befriend your canvassing partner, so you can chat between doors. At the end, we delivered sheets full of checked boxes indicating constituent responses to the regional field organizer. Canvassing is a fitting act of citizenship. Each person knocks fewer than a hundred doors, but altogether we reach thousands. Just showing up might be the hardest part, but then the endeavor is well-organized and social. You can end up walking miles without realizing it. If Elaine Luria becomes the next Congresswoman representing Williamsburg, Arlington Young Democrats will know that we knocked doors, checked boxes, and walked miles to contribute.

President Trump has tried to reverse President Obama’s efforts to slow climate change. He withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Paris climate accord, and he has tried to roll back environmental regulations. Some of his proposed regulatory cut-backs have been stymied by the courts because of procedural deficiencies, but the Administration can soon correct those problems. His policies are driving climate scientists out of government, leaving critical research and climate mitigation efforts unstaffed. How much does it matter? How much of a threat is climate change? Temperature. It’s getting hotter. Sixteen of the seventeen warmest years on record have occurred since 2000. This summer, all-time high temperatures were recorded around the globe, including in Los Angeles (111°F on July 6); Sodankyla, Finland, above the Arctic Circle (89.2°F on July 17); and Hongcheon, South Korea (105.2°F on August 1). On July 5, Ouargla, Algeria, set what is believed to be Africa’s highest temperature ever, 124.3°F. To date, the earth has warmed on average almost 1°Celsius (1.5°Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. Much of the increase has come since 1980. If you are over 35 years old, climate change has been noticeable within your lifetime:  flowers bloom earlier in the spring, there are more very hot days in summer, and you wear a heavy coat for fewer weeks in the winter. At the present rate of change, by 2100 the earth’s average temperature will increase to about 3°C (5.4°F) over pre-industrial levels. Within the lifetimes of babies born this year, the changes wrought by hotter weather will be dramatic, possibly rendering parts of the planet uninhabitable. Sea-level rise. The ocean is rising, and at an accelerating pace. The rise varies from place to place, but over the past 25 years has averaged 3”. Water expands as it warms, and historically much of the rise has resulted from higher water temperatures. The other causes are melting glaciers and ice sheets. Even the small rise to date has contributed to major damage in coastal areas. Higher sea levels aggravated devastating floods caused by storms in New Orleans, Houston, and Puerto Rico. Miami faces increased minor flooding from seasonal high tides, called king tides. Sea-level rise is expected to accelerate. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects increases ranging from 8” to 6.6' by 2100. Since much of the world’s population lives along coastlines, sea-level rise is expected to displace millions of people by 2100. In the U.S., Florida faces the greatest risk. At the higher levels of NOAA’s predictions, all of the ocean coastlines of the U.S. would be in some jeopardy from rising waters by 2100, as would low-lying land slightly inland, including parts of Arlington. Storms and other disasters. Weather-related disasters are becoming more frequent and the worst are becoming more severe. Higher temperatures increase both the rate at which seawater evaporates and the amount of water vapor the atmosphere can hold. Higher levels of atmospheric water vapor in turn foster more intense storms. Total precipitation is increasing in the U.S., and the amount of rain or snow falling in the heaviest 1% percent of storms is rising nearly 3 times as fast. Our worst storms now dump 20% more precipitation than they did 40 years ago. Climate change is also generating more drought, disrupting food production and fostering conditions that enable wildfires to spread more quickly. This year has been particularly bad:  California has lost more land to wildfires in 2018 than it did in 2017, one of the worst years on record. Its fire season is lasting longer, with more, and more severe, fires. This year also saw unusually serious wildfires around the world, including in Canada, Siberia, and Greece. From 1980 until 2018, the U.S. experienced on average 5-6 weather-related disasters per year that caused $1 billion or more in damage. In 2017, it suffered 16 of them. In the first half of 2018, it suffered another 6. The trend is clear. Going forward, there will be more weather disasters and the worst of them will be more destructive. In the face of these threats, Trump’s dismantling of federal efforts to mitigate climate change is disastrous. What can we do? One step is to elect environmentalists to state and local government, where much good can be done. California has taken the lead among the states by adopting measures that succeeded in reducing its 2016 carbon emissions to 1990 levels. It has just adopted goals of 100% renewable energy production and carbon neutrality by 2045. Much of the hands-on work of meeting these goals is being done by municipalities through adoption of green building standards for public and commercial projects and programs to conserve resources and reduce pollution. We can do the same in Virginia and Arlington. The time to start is with this fall’s election. Democratic Senatorial candidate Tim Kaine and Democratic Congressional candidate Don Beyer are both on record in support of sound climate policies. Matt de Ferranti, Democratic candidate for County Board, is a strong environmentalist who supports putting Arlington County on a path toward 100% renewable energy use in county facilities by 2035. Democratic School Board candidate Barbara Kanninen is a Ph.D. environmental economist who has championed investment in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education for Arlington Public Schools. Support their campaigns, and vote! Photo by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash