From Stephen Colbert to Twitter postings to letters and commentaries in The Salt Lake Tribune, Sen. Mike Lee created quite a buzz when he claimed that “babies” are the solution to climate change.

Was he serious? As he has put forth no other solutions, I’m inclined to take him at his word.

Fortuitously, five days before Lee’s speech, Paul Hawken delivered the keynote address for the Sustainability Summit at Weber State University.

Hawken is renowned for editing The New York Times best-selling book, “Drawdown: The most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.” In this assembly of the best solutions from 270 world experts, “fall in love, get married and have some kids” is nowhere to be found. In fact, their seventh-most impactful solution is family planning.

Rather than mock the Green New Deal, why doesn’t our senior senator make climate change a bridge issue in Congress? He has successfully worked across the aisle on issues such as prison reform and immigration. I want to hear an Earth Day Senate speech in which Lee outlines a conservative, science-based policy that addresses climate change. In doing so, he will build healthier, more vibrant and stronger communities.