Climate needs collective policy action
In his op-ed (July 25, “How can an individual help fight climate change?”), Paul Sullivan describes many actions that could reduce individual greenhouse emissions. Yet he concludes pessimistically that “…it doesn’t matter, that it’s too late.” Mr. Sullivan misses the essential point — that we need collective climate action.
In fact, it is too late if we rely solely on individual carbon footprint reductions. Instead, we need policies that work at a scale that matches the magnitude of the climate challenge.
The best way to eliminate something we don’t want is to make it more expensive. Small wonder that economists and scientists widely agree the single most-effective climate policy is carbon pricing.
The best way for an individual to fight climate change is to join with other like-minded individuals in collective action. For me that organization is Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which has advocated carbon pricing since 2007.
There has never been a better opportunity to achieve policy change. Public opinion on climate has shifted dramatically over the past several years. Climate bills are being proposed on both sides of the aisle and legislation is likely to pass this year.
Now is the time for action. Join a climate organization. Call or write your members of Congress. Tell them carbon pricing is essential to meet the climate challenge.
If we rely on individual carbon footprint reductions, it truly is too late. But if we work together for policy action, we can assure a livable future for all.
ROBERT R. MITCHELL
Murrysville
infrastructure package being debated in Congress are based on “misrepresentations or misunderstandings of the actual science.” It takes a hefty amount of gall to not only use cherry-picked, debunked climate change and disaster research to inform life-and-death policy decisions, but also to ignore the rising number of extreme weather events harshly impacting your own constituents.
The infrastructure package represents our best chance for real, meaningful action to protect our communities from climate disasters. We simply cannot afford to allow climate deniers like Sen. Toomey to stand in the way of that action.
Our future literally depends on it.
MATTHEW STEPP
Executive vice president and chief of staff PennFuture