Global warming not a joke, solution is Green New Deal

“How to combat acid rain, 100-year storms,” (letters, March 25). Seriously? You’re printing someone’s crackpot “theory” (based, apparently, on no evidence whatsoever) about climate change being caused by rocket launchings? Global warming is not a joke; It’s an existential threat to humanity and all life on Earth. We need serious, act-based information about it and solutions based on scientific and economic facts. Every scientific body of national or international standing agrees that our present period of global warming, which causes climate change, is caused overwhelmingly by humans burning fossil fuels (National Academy of Sciences, AAAS).

Without a massive and swift phase out of fossil fuels we risk runaway global warming that would cost hundreds of trillions, essentially causing a global economic collapse from which the world would never recover (National Academy of Sciences). We have about a decade to make the transition to a clean-energy economy if we are to prevent this disaster (IPCC). Fortunately, we have a solution: The Green New Deal’s energy plan, and it can pay for itself. It’s projected to cost $500 billion annually for a decade (Stanford University’s solutionproject.org). But it will add over $500 billion to our economy annually (National Academy of Sciences, IPCC), mainly because by 2030 solar/wind energy will be “effectively free” (Financial Times, UBS). There will also be the economic benefits of millions of good-paying, permanent (40-year), local green jobs solutionsproject.org) with good benefits, something we’re sorely lacking.

These economic benefits won’t all be realized immediately, but a carbon pollution tax paid to the taxpayers rather than the government, would add $360 billion to US GPD (CBO) and speed up the phase-out of fossil fuels at the same time. Canada’s done it successfully for a decade now: “Canada passed a carbon tax that will give most Canadians more money” (The Guardian). This would also cut down on the over 300,000 American deaths caused annually by carbon pollution (MIT.edu) and the well-over $800 billion it costs Americans every year in medical bills (Forbes).

In contrast, Americans have already paid $1.6 trillion for ever-increasing climate disasters (NASA/NOAA). Just a half-degree increase in global warming will cost US taxpayers $13 trillion (IPCC). The contrast between catastrophe and prosperity with safety couldn’t be more stark. “The costs of a Green New Deal are affordable, but the costs of inaction are literally beyond calculation” (Forbes).

Pete Kuntz

Lancaster

Contrary to column, Hawaii in no danger of submerging

In his opinion article in the March 19 issue, John Culleton writes, “In the next hundred years, most or all of the sate of Hawaii may become submerged.” (Note the use of the word “may.” “May,” “could,” “might,” and “possibly” all are words used by the alarmist industry to frighten people but they have no real meaning in the context of the issue of climate change.)

The mean elevation of the islands of Hawaii is approximately 3030 feet above sea level. In order to submerge the islands to that elevation in 100 years, the Pacific Ocean must rise more than 30 feet per year. That being the case, a very large portion of the entire world will be under water.

I wonder if Mr. Culleton would share with us the research he used to arrive at this claim? Does he actually expect any thinking person to believe what he wrote? The problem is, when you publish something this absurd, some people will believe it, and by that you are doing your readers a disservice.

Frank Horrigan

Mount Airy

Trump tax cuts ‘for the wealthy’ good news for me

I grew up in Hampstead, now live outside of San Antonio, and am visiting relatives in Manchester this week. I have a pension from 21 years in the Air Force and my wife and I both draw Social Security. We were delighted to have our income increased by about $1,500 due to Trump’s tax cuts.

It never really dawned on me that we were now wealthy! In a [March 24] letter in your paper, Frank Rammes references “… the recent Republican tax cuts for the wealthy.” I have one favor to ask. Please don’t anybody tell my wife that we are now wealthy.

Fred Martin

San Antonio

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