The Trib recently published opinion pieces denying or mitigating man-made effects on our environment — Walter Williams’ op-ed “So many environmental predictions grossly wrong” and the letter “America has done well by our planet.”
We cannot reference worst-case scenarios or use comparisons with other countries to gauge our progress. We must not reassure ourselves we are doing enough. There is no consensus or urgency among G20 members. This type of collective reasoning will prevent any measured response.
The U.S. remains a major contributor, releasing 76 million tons of pollution in 2018 (see the Environmental Protection Agency’s national air quality summary at www.epa.gov). We’re more focused on making pollution less visible than reducing emissions.
The primary concern should be determining the unknown combined effect of pollution and greenhouse gas on the earth’s biosphere. It may prove senseless to use “climate change” and “global warming” to describe the gradual disintegration of our atmosphere.
Coral reef, amphibian, insect and bird species are experiencing population collapse.
A question for Trib readers, “See any grasshoppers this summer?”
David Poskin
Harrison
