A stronger term

Political candidates and the press might best be served by abandoning and replacing polarizing and misleading terminology “climate change” and “global warming” with a more comprehensive and accurate term that addresses the real problem — “environmental degradation.”

Climate change must be considered for what it is: one symptom ( and not necessarily the most critical) of a much larger and more complex problem. The problem is that of human impact upon our ecosystem, primarily catalyzed into negative outcomes by outdated modes of obtaining and using energy. These modes can and should be updated not only to stem the immense impact upon the environment ( and inversely, to preserve our ability to live healthfully and safely within it), but to generate new sources of economic prosperity for communities globally and at home as well.

Liberal or conservative, we are all witnesses to undeniable realities — deforestation, ocean acidification, plastic and chemical contamination, species extinctions — which are all nearing a breaking point. So let’s stop focusing on climate change alone. Let’s stop arguing about the “who done it?” when we could be working together. We must mitigate the undeniable, observable effects that are making our very small and fragile ecosystem less and less inhabitable for all living creatures, including ourselves.

BLAKE RAGGHIANTI

Scott