For decades there has been an overwhelming scientific consensus that the Earth is rapidly warming, that the warming is caused by human-generated carbon emissions, and that an environmentally sustainable future depends on quickly and drastically reducing those emissions.
Sadly, governments have done little to address this issue, carbon emissions have risen, and many of the dreaded impacts of climate change are now upon us — unprecedented drought and forest fires in some areas and catastrophic rainfall and flooding in others, a longer, more intense hurricane season, and rapidly melting ice in the polar regions.
That’s why a recent U.N. report pleaded for governments to take decisive action to combat climate change (“Scientists warn of worsening warming,” Aug. 10).
Unfortunately, the Trump administration, unconcerned by the fact that fossil fuel vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to U.S. carbon emissions, rolled back emissions standards set by the Obama administration.
The Environmental Protection Agency will soon be setting revised vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards. Given the climate emergency we face, it’s important to urge the EPA to make those standards as stringent as possible.
Time is short. The agency will be taking public comments on these standards only until Sept. 27. Please go to https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0208-0116 to lift up your voice to fight climate change.
STEVE GEHLERT
West Newbury
What do I know? What can I know? How do I know what I know? I don’t know.
If one or more of these occurs to you with any degree of regularity, I have good news: You’re not a progressive.
One of the things that I and just about everyone else know with certainty is that if our ignominiously incompetent retreat from Afghanistan or the withdrawal by France (whose approval Democrats seem always to have valued more highly than that of most Americans) of its ambassador to the U.S. had happened on a Republican president’s watch, there would be countless angry calls for resignations, investigations and impeachment hearings rather than the crickets we’re hearing now.
ANTHONY STIMSON
Lebanon
I read with dismay the article about parents suing the Merrimack Valley School District over its policy requiring students to wear face masks in school (“NH parents sue school district over masks,” Sept. 20).
I don’t doubt parents’ desire to make decisions they perceive, wisely or not, to be in their children’s best interests.
Most of these parental decisions, like wearing seatbelts, donning bike helmets and not swimming alone, only affect the safety of their own children. But wearing a face mask in school is a decision that has serious consequences for others.
Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to help kids understand that what they do affects others, and that sometimes we tolerate some discomfort to ourselves in order to help and protect others?
Please, parents, help your kids feel less stressed, more in control and a little proud of themselves for having consideration for others.
This can be an important life lesson for them, and possibly life-saving for someone else.
LYNN FREEMAN
Meriden