Californians want to have clean air, clean water - not like the

Hear the words of Ted Lieu, strong and unyielding: “Californians want to have clean air, clean water—not like the Trump Administration is trying to do with its rollback of environmental regulations, like the reversal of the Clean Power Plan.” This is not a whisper, but a cry of guardianship, a call to protect what is most sacred: the breath we draw and the water that sustains our flesh. For in these words lies the reminder that the earth’s gifts are not luxuries, but the very foundation of life. To lose them is to lose everything.

The meaning of this quote is rooted in the eternal struggle between stewardship and exploitation. On one side stand those who seek to preserve the purity of the air and the water, knowing that without them, no wealth, no power, no empire can endure. On the other side stand those who, for gain or for pride, would roll back the safeguards meant to protect creation, believing that the earth can be bent to serve profit without consequence. Lieu’s voice, like that of a prophet, declares that the people of his land—Californians—choose life over decay, renewal over regression.

History provides many warnings. In ancient Rome, aqueducts carried fresh water into the city, and for a time the empire thrived. But as corruption grew and neglect spread, sewage contaminated streams, diseases flourished, and the health of the people declined. Where once the aqueducts had been symbols of life, the polluted waters became signs of collapse. So too, when nations ignore the call to guard their air and water, they set themselves upon the path to ruin.

The Clean Power Plan, like the aqueducts of Rome, was born as a safeguard—a measure to limit pollution, to reduce the choking of the skies, to slow the warming of the earth. To reverse it is not merely to change a law, but to loosen the chains that hold back destruction. Lieu’s warning is thus not only for California, but for all lands: to undo protections is to gamble with the health of present and future generations. For the air does not respect borders, nor the rivers heed political boundaries. Pollution released in one place spreads to all, a curse carried on the winds and waters.

Consider the story of London’s Great Smog of 1952. For days the city was suffocated by coal smoke, a darkness at noon that killed thousands. Only then did leaders awaken to the truth that the cost of dirty air was too high to bear. Out of that tragedy came new laws, cleaner fuels, and a recognition that without regulation, the greed of industry would poison the people. This tale mirrors Lieu’s warning: only vigilance and strong safeguards preserve the gifts of earth, while complacency brings calamity.

The lesson for us is both simple and grave: the struggle for clean air and clean water is never finished. At any moment, the labor of decades can be undone by leaders who place profit above people. Thus, we must remain steadfast, demanding that regulations be preserved and strengthened, not weakened. Each voice raised in defense of the earth becomes part of a chorus too loud to ignore.

Practical action lies in vigilance and choice. Support leaders and policies that honor the earth, not exploit it. Reduce your own burden upon the air and water by choosing wisely in how you live, consume, and travel. Teach your children that the sky above and the rivers below are not to be taken for granted, but cherished as sacred trusts. For the ancients would tell us: he who fouls his own well has already cursed his descendants.

Therefore, let Lieu’s words echo across generations: Californians want clean air and clean water—and not only Californians, but all who cherish life. Guard these treasures with courage. Resist those who would undo the work of preservation. For in the end, the wealth of nations is not counted in gold or armies, but in the purity of their rivers, the clarity of their skies, and the health of their children yet to be born.