People must respond to end harm to planet

I was glad to see the letters “Agency Must do Job” and” Protect Environment” in the Aug. 11 paper. We must stand up, write, vote and challenge anyone who does not agree we are in a climate crisis. If you are not concerned for yourself, think about the planet 20 years from now and what your children and grandchildren will face.

While most of our conservative politicians cater to the oil and gas industry out of greed, our planet is dying a slow death that is now accelerating at an alarming rate. The withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and the outright denial of global warming by President Trump and his administration’s position against science-based policy on the issue has made things worse. The August 2018 State of the Climate Report found that 2017 was the warmest in recorded history for the planet that didn’t feature an El Nino, with a record high sea level and destructive coral bleaching. The report was compiled by 500 climate scientists around the world. Soaring temperatures, retreating sea ice, record-high sea levels, shrinking glaciers, destructive coral bleaching and massive fire and flooding events seem to be the new norm.

Concentrations of planet-warming carbon dioxide have increased 405 parts per million in the atmosphere, the growth rate of carbon dioxide has quadrupled since the early 1960s. We can’t just sit by and continue to not support the efforts to reverse the outcome of destruction we have created. As our politicians turn a blind eye we must make our voices heard by the way we vote.

I grew up in Arkansas and was always so proud to be from “The Natural State” but reading about the condition of the water in the Buffalo River has been shocking. A concentrated shoreline management plan should be adopted immediately to remedy the pollution, the EPA must be held accountable for doing its job! This one important river is just an example of what is happening on a worldwide level.

Our environment is changing, the water is becoming more polluted, people and wildlife are dying all over the planet. Don’t ignore the facts. It is our moral responsibility to stand up. MARGI TUCKER Bella Vista