Letter to the Editor-Climate Change

Letter to the Editor

 While there has been extensive effort to control the global Covid pandemic through vaccines, there are increasing concerns that it will take a similar sense of urgency to limit global climate change.

There is increasing concern about the impacts of climate change. A Yale climate opinion poll from September of 2020, shows 72% of US citizens now believe in climate change, 63% are worried about it, and 57% believe it is human induced.

According to Bloomberg Opinion, major oil companies now favor taxing the carbon content of fuels such as gasoline at some level. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, called for such a tax in February. Even the American Petroleum Institute, a longtime opponent of climate action, is reportedly considering endorsing a carbon tax. Currently, there are several bills being considered within the new Congress to limit CO2 in the atmosphere. One bipartisan measure, The Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividend Act proposed by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) in 2020, would place a $15-per-ton fee on fossil fuels that would increase $10 annually. Revenue collected would be returned to citizens in monthly checks and governmental regulation would be minimized. The bill had 86 co-sponsors in the House by the end of last Congress and is supported by the nonpartisan advocacy group Citizens' Climate Lobby. You can find your local CCL chapter at https://citizensclimatelobby.org/about-ccl/chapters/. They discuss climate issues and plan activities. The public is encouraged to participate.

As we approach Earth Day April 22nd, this would be an opportunity to become environmentally connected to encourage effective legislation, the climate vaccine, to benefit our future generations.

Gary Kramer

Mt. Pleasant Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteer

For more information about the Mount Pleasant Chapter, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a national nonprofit organization with local chapters across the country, contact :  Marie Koper, mkoper5@gmail.com, 989-944-5858, or visit citizensclimatelobby.org.