Originally posted on TimesUnion
Scott Martelle’s commentary, “Humans ignore climate change at our own peril,” Aug. 21, was an opinion piece strangely devoid of opinion. Martelle objectively describes some of the major signs of our planet’s distress — increasing temperatures, fires, droughts, hurricanes — and simply notes that such events are liable to become more frequent as the Arctic thaws.
He concludes by stating of the Tinesimpending changes: “Not that it matters, at least to the Earth. It will survive, even if we don’t.”
This defeatist attitude is exactly what titans of the fossil fuel industries and their minions in Washington would love for us to adopt.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Reforming Energy Vision sounds good if one doesn’t scratch the surface. Underneath, it’s a ruse to treat natural gas as a clean transition fuel. The prevention of methane release into the atmosphere and pipeline leaks, which pose a dangerous threat to our water supply, should be at the top of our list in stabilizing the climate. Instead Gov. Cuomo is tying our future to the gas industry, which chooses profit over science.
H.R. 3671, the Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act, is federal legislation with real teeth. Of our 17 New York Democrat representatives, only Brian Higgins and Paul Tonko have failed to sign on. Food and Water Watch is running a campaign and lists the candidates in the upcoming election who have pledged their support.
Harriet Tubman, the conductor of the Underground Railroad, told us to never give up. Giving up on the abolition of slavery for her was not an option, and surrendering to climate change is giving up on life itself.