As I read the article about the president’s tweet conflating cold weather with climate (Dec. 29, “Trump says East Could Use Some ‘Global Warming’ This Weekend”), I was angered and saddened—saddened by the gleeful misunderstanding of science.
Weather is a short-term blip while climate is a long-term trend. A trend which 97 percent of climate scientists agree is changing due to human greenhouse gas emissions. I was angered by the actions taken this year by the president—leaving the Paris Accord, dismantling the Clean Power Plan, installing fossil fuel insiders instead of scientists at the EPA.
This year, I resolve not to despair, but to hope and to act. The bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus gives me hope. The Climate Solutions Caucus has 30 Republican and 30 Democratic members who will work on legislation, such as carbon fee and dividend, which will help us reduce our emissions. Fossil fuels would be taxed at the mine or port, and the proceeds would be rebated back to you and me to help with our utility bills. Let’s work together this new year to put the world’s climate back on a stable path.
DANA SILER
Squirrel Hill
