I just watched a documentary about bread. Plain old bread. I learned that wheat is the world’s biggest crop and in places like the Middle East, where bread was first invented thousands of years ago, drought and rising temperatures are now creating scarcities. The imbalance in population versus the supply and cost of bread has the potential to create political destabilization. Indeed, in some countries it has already led to riots and violent strife. From this single example, I now understand why our military leaders consider climate change to be our country’s primary national security challenge.

What can we do? For our own self-interest, we can be a world leader by supporting HR763, the bipartisan Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, which will not only curb CO 2 emissions, it will improve public health, create new jobs and help clean our Wasatch Front air in our own backyards.

Yes, we can have our bread and eat it.

Gerald Elias

Salt Lake City