Recently two major hurricanes hit Florida and other states back-to-back. The economic cost of climate change is staggering, and the human toll is heartbreaking. My sister-in-law has been to Florida three times now to counsel victims of these storms. In one text she wrote, “So many vulnerable people in completely dire states,” and “the assessment of unmet needs in the state continues to grow exponentially.”

As storms continue to intensify and increase in frequency, damage in Virginia will also increase. Insurance companies already know this. My insurance rates went up significantly this year and so I started to look for a new policy. To my surprise, several companies would not even consider insuring our home, which is at the top of a hill nowhere near a flood zone. Climate change will impact all aspects of our lives if not addressed. In the Pacific Northwest, ocean acidification due to climate change has already had major impacts on their oyster industry. This will happen in Virginia if we do not work to address it now.

Cruise ships are a major contributor to climate change. They have a larger carbon footprint per passenger than virtually ALL other forms of transportation. Cruise ship passengers have eight times the carbon footprint of land-based tourists (land-based tourists also spend a lot more money locally BTW).

Based on the record of the cruise ship industry; I do not think they have earned the right to operate in Virginia waters without regulation. But also, I am deeply worried for my children. I want to leave them a world where there is not a constant threat of wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, floods, and other natural disasters occurring back-to-back.  The time to debate is over, the Commonwealth needs to act now. The Commonwealth should lead our Nation in positive change to address climate change, and this petition is a good start. I strongly support it for myself, my children, and future generations.