President Al Gore: What if?

Re “Will we finally deal with the apocalypse?” Opinion, Oct. 28

From the vantage point of 86 years, I agree with Nicholas Goldberg’s moral outrage over climate inaction and his warning about a possible apocalypse.

Had Al Gore, a politician who understood global warming, been declared the winner of the 2000 presidential election, we might have dodged the bullet. If the U.S. Supreme Court had not awarded the election to George W. Bush, climate change would have become a major priority.

The Biden administration, especially with its climate envoy John Kerry, provides a modicum of hope. However, Republicans, now extreme rightists, sadly have help from two Senate Democrats and may keep us locked in stasis.

Let’s hope the fears we share are overblown and that a new generation will find the political will to bring us back from this dangerous precipice. Based on past behavior, however, I remain dubious. Roger Bell

Redlands

There is a concrete step that can be taken today, but it requires political will.

In California, we should pass a law forbidding the manufacture or use of thermostats that can set air conditioning below 76 degrees. One of the most horrible wastes I have seen is when entering a hotel room with the thermostat set at 65 degrees and the place is ice cold.

Of course, this would have to be phased in over a period of time, perhaps 18 months. There would need to be exceptions, including for medical labs, hospitals and a few other places, but this step would still save a huge amount of energy.

A national law would be better, but California could set the pace. Richard Korts

Escondido