Thank you, thank you Mr. Rather for this much needed letter! I am so grateful for all of your commentaries.
I've been deeply concerned about the effects of human actions, especially in developed countries, on the environment and climate change since I was a WV college student in 1970. During my career as an elementary school teacher, I tried to instill in my students a love of nature and understanding that we ALL need to do more to help protect it, while feeling frustrated that the world is doing virtually nothing to avoid the situation we now find ourselves in.
I find the lack of action by republicans in government, and Sen. Manchin, who are putting their own re-election and personal wealth before what is best for our children nothing short of disgusting. How can they look at their own children, or any children, knowing they are making the certainty of great suffering ahead for all of them less important than their own immediate status, power and wealth?!
Together we can still make a difference. We must DEMAND for, and VOTE for, leaders who will quickly take the actions needed NOW to give our children a world they can Iive in without tremendous suffering.
While I don't disagree with the idea that humans have exacerbated the problem of global warming, I would argue that it has been a trend for centuries. The last ice age was some ten thousand years ago. Glaciers have been retreating ever since. I would also argue that the U.S. should never have started putting cities in deserts. Extremely high energy consumption and even worse water use. Solar could be an answer if the government would require, and subsidize, solar panels on all buildings. Other than that, the only option is nuclear - and that really isn't an option since no-one has yet come up with an answer for the disposal of nuclear waste.
1( I’m spiritual with a tinge of religion. That being said, God said fire not a flood next time.
2( The planet is on fire and man is reducing it to concrete rubble rather than admitting global warming exists and trying to do something about it.
3( Some people I love say they don’t believe in climate change. Well this ain’t Santa and I can’t believe they are so stupid and blind by choice. I finding hard to be unconditional.
4( My teachers who taught climate change assured me/us this wouldn’t happen for about 3-5 billion years from now but here we are in the middle of it. I’m supposed to be gone before it happens. They also said we are spiraling into the sun but don’t worry, it’s gonna be in 3-5 billion years from now and we’ll all be dead by then. There’s a pattern here.
5( Man is so busy blaming and playing such stupid games about stuff that won’t matter in the short long run they will not face the reality crumbling right in front of them. I also watched the repugnancan lying about Biden deserving the 25th amendment. That man is wasting our oxygen and raising the temperature. He and his ilk are killing us before it’s natural for us to die.
6( how can so many people watch what is happening in this world (smart people, too) but wait for FoxNews to spin it for them before they can grasp the reality? How is FoxNews allowed to keep swilling their propaganda? Shut them down already!
7( how in the hell can people in power keep telling us there is a choice of realities and still have power. They are insane and demanding that everyone buy into their insanity. Suffering fools is just plain wrong.
8( some people want a sign. Well, the planet is on fire and there are record droughts, lakes are drying up, thousands are dying from the COVID plague, and the polar ice caps are melting. What bigger sign do we need? God help us when it comes.
9( A quote from two old icons:
First song from PP&M: God said fire not a flood next time.
Second quote from Brother Dave: If you ain’t John I am GONE!
Why is humanity not running to save our planet? Our own country , in Congress, with it's political fools , are stopping the passage of necessary tools to combat our climate emergency. If you don't want to help, get out of the way!!
Why is humanity not running to insure the survival of our planet? Political fools in Congress need to be voted out!!!! If you don't want to help fix our environmental issues, get out of the way!j We must act now!
What slays me about this U.S. society is its absolute and I mean absolute addiction to oil, and I am talking serious, opioid-type addiction with not as immediate consequences but with all the long-term effects. I kinda get it, we love our vehicles, and this has been especially engrained in us during the GW Bush years with the big push on the sales of SUVs, the "mystique" of it all although I have yet to understand this, I guess they have at least a small ethetic appeal beyond a van, but to me not so much. For my personnal taste leans to a Porche, and people who buy Porsche SUVs to me proves just because somone has money does not equate to them having any common sense at all! Back to the subject at hand, we as human last I checked cannot, cannot subsist by drinking oil. In case you have not been paying attention the entire planet has been suffering from a water shortage and now the US is beginning to feel "the heat", with Lake Mead, a used to be major source of water to Nevada and other states, and to water reservoirs in Colorado, etc., etc. There has already been ample, and I mean ample proof that fracking destroys associated lands and water supplies as well as downhill water supplies.... Can you or your children, or their children drink oil and survive??? Nope they/we cannot, thus the few million gallons of oil gleaned from fracking our National Parks and other sacred lands will destroy our very life-sustaining subsistence, just for starters. Drive much less, walk the 4 - 10 blocks to the convenience store down the street it will be good for you; carpool whenever, however you can, invest in electric vehicles and demand that your city officials, and state representatives invest monies into reasonable, usable, mass transit systems within and between our major towns and cities. I get this is not a popular stance folks but if you truly care about yourselves and your offspring, it is a very necessary one, and now is the time. Save your precious vehicles for car shows down the years.
All those deniers of climate change are sitting in air conditioning. When the lights go out, they will simply blame Biden and here in Canada, Trudeau. Some even welcome the End Times as they sit listening to fake pastors. November elections are coming fast. We shall hope for the best.
Thank you, Dan and team Steady. I really needed the pep talk. As someone who has been committed to lessening the effects of climate change for many years, it's been very difficult lately not to give up. But as with advances in medicine, we too can have advances in science to balance the selfishness and stupidity of humans. Hoping for the best for future generations!
Great points. So true. However, nobody likes to talk about renunciation. The only way out of the climate crisis. Fly less. Drive less. Cool less. Heat less. Eat less. Consume less. Some are more able to downsize than others, of course. But those who can, should do it. Oh, and get your stuff repaired. Don´t buy new if you can afford it.
To many of our elected "leaders" in congress no longer work for the people. They work for whatever special interest person/group that put them there. Our government is broken, and it will take a herculean effort by voters to fix it. Unfortunately, I am seeing an American electorate so apathetic that there is little chance the current trend in elections will change. In the history of politics in our still young country who would have predicted acting like a fool would be the best way to get elected? The Founders did their best to anticipate the potential issues of a democratic republic, but they could no better foresee what life in the country would be like two plus centuries later than any of us could today.
No shortage of trolls attempting to contaminate your timely and excellent essay Mr Rather. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and calm. I so much appreciate you. ❤️
Every time there is a Sandy Hook, Parkland, Virgina Tech or Uvalde the nation is horrified but AK47s are still available to murder innocent people. Today we are VERY HOT. That should motivate leaders to take action but the summer heat will pass and ice melting at the poles will continue unnoticed. There will be more mass murders at shopping malls churches and schools. Oceans will rise but climate like, gun control will not be addressed. Our government does not work. Republican senators obstruct and change rules as it benefits them. Unless we can elect leaders who will work to serve the people rather than special interests or their own financial interests nothing will change... I am not optimistic. Be prepared to be trapped in the kitchen if voters do not do their job. We must elect leaders who have the vision and drive to inspire, lead and create the changes that the majority of us want. But be afraid... look at Sharon Hendriksons comment below...
We are all guilty of not addressing climate change for future generations. We have failed our children and grandchildren and future posterity. We can change but will we? Will our selfish behavior continue to drive the conveniences we desire and those we feel we deserve? What will you do now to make a difference?
I learned about the promise of fusion today and researched the fourth state of matter.
Thank you, thank you Mr. Rather for this much needed letter! I am so grateful for all of your commentaries.
I've been deeply concerned about the effects of human actions, especially in developed countries, on the environment and climate change since I was a WV college student in 1970. During my career as an elementary school teacher, I tried to instill in my students a love of nature and understanding that we ALL need to do more to help protect it, while feeling frustrated that the world is doing virtually nothing to avoid the situation we now find ourselves in.
I find the lack of action by republicans in government, and Sen. Manchin, who are putting their own re-election and personal wealth before what is best for our children nothing short of disgusting. How can they look at their own children, or any children, knowing they are making the certainty of great suffering ahead for all of them less important than their own immediate status, power and wealth?!
Together we can still make a difference. We must DEMAND for, and VOTE for, leaders who will quickly take the actions needed NOW to give our children a world they can Iive in without tremendous suffering.
While I don't disagree with the idea that humans have exacerbated the problem of global warming, I would argue that it has been a trend for centuries. The last ice age was some ten thousand years ago. Glaciers have been retreating ever since. I would also argue that the U.S. should never have started putting cities in deserts. Extremely high energy consumption and even worse water use. Solar could be an answer if the government would require, and subsidize, solar panels on all buildings. Other than that, the only option is nuclear - and that really isn't an option since no-one has yet come up with an answer for the disposal of nuclear waste.
1( I’m spiritual with a tinge of religion. That being said, God said fire not a flood next time.
2( The planet is on fire and man is reducing it to concrete rubble rather than admitting global warming exists and trying to do something about it.
3( Some people I love say they don’t believe in climate change. Well this ain’t Santa and I can’t believe they are so stupid and blind by choice. I finding hard to be unconditional.
4( My teachers who taught climate change assured me/us this wouldn’t happen for about 3-5 billion years from now but here we are in the middle of it. I’m supposed to be gone before it happens. They also said we are spiraling into the sun but don’t worry, it’s gonna be in 3-5 billion years from now and we’ll all be dead by then. There’s a pattern here.
5( Man is so busy blaming and playing such stupid games about stuff that won’t matter in the short long run they will not face the reality crumbling right in front of them. I also watched the repugnancan lying about Biden deserving the 25th amendment. That man is wasting our oxygen and raising the temperature. He and his ilk are killing us before it’s natural for us to die.
6( how can so many people watch what is happening in this world (smart people, too) but wait for FoxNews to spin it for them before they can grasp the reality? How is FoxNews allowed to keep swilling their propaganda? Shut them down already!
7( how in the hell can people in power keep telling us there is a choice of realities and still have power. They are insane and demanding that everyone buy into their insanity. Suffering fools is just plain wrong.
8( some people want a sign. Well, the planet is on fire and there are record droughts, lakes are drying up, thousands are dying from the COVID plague, and the polar ice caps are melting. What bigger sign do we need? God help us when it comes.
9( A quote from two old icons:
First song from PP&M: God said fire not a flood next time.
Second quote from Brother Dave: If you ain’t John I am GONE!
Why is humanity not running to save our planet? Our own country , in Congress, with it's political fools , are stopping the passage of necessary tools to combat our climate emergency. If you don't want to help, get out of the way!!
Why is humanity not running to insure the survival of our planet? Political fools in Congress need to be voted out!!!! If you don't want to help fix our environmental issues, get out of the way!j We must act now!
What slays me about this U.S. society is its absolute and I mean absolute addiction to oil, and I am talking serious, opioid-type addiction with not as immediate consequences but with all the long-term effects. I kinda get it, we love our vehicles, and this has been especially engrained in us during the GW Bush years with the big push on the sales of SUVs, the "mystique" of it all although I have yet to understand this, I guess they have at least a small ethetic appeal beyond a van, but to me not so much. For my personnal taste leans to a Porche, and people who buy Porsche SUVs to me proves just because somone has money does not equate to them having any common sense at all! Back to the subject at hand, we as human last I checked cannot, cannot subsist by drinking oil. In case you have not been paying attention the entire planet has been suffering from a water shortage and now the US is beginning to feel "the heat", with Lake Mead, a used to be major source of water to Nevada and other states, and to water reservoirs in Colorado, etc., etc. There has already been ample, and I mean ample proof that fracking destroys associated lands and water supplies as well as downhill water supplies.... Can you or your children, or their children drink oil and survive??? Nope they/we cannot, thus the few million gallons of oil gleaned from fracking our National Parks and other sacred lands will destroy our very life-sustaining subsistence, just for starters. Drive much less, walk the 4 - 10 blocks to the convenience store down the street it will be good for you; carpool whenever, however you can, invest in electric vehicles and demand that your city officials, and state representatives invest monies into reasonable, usable, mass transit systems within and between our major towns and cities. I get this is not a popular stance folks but if you truly care about yourselves and your offspring, it is a very necessary one, and now is the time. Save your precious vehicles for car shows down the years.
Time to shut off the AC in the House and the Senate !
All those deniers of climate change are sitting in air conditioning. When the lights go out, they will simply blame Biden and here in Canada, Trudeau. Some even welcome the End Times as they sit listening to fake pastors. November elections are coming fast. We shall hope for the best.
We are failing our children and grandchildren. It’s an undeniable fact.
Thank you, Dan and team Steady. I really needed the pep talk. As someone who has been committed to lessening the effects of climate change for many years, it's been very difficult lately not to give up. But as with advances in medicine, we too can have advances in science to balance the selfishness and stupidity of humans. Hoping for the best for future generations!
Great points. So true. However, nobody likes to talk about renunciation. The only way out of the climate crisis. Fly less. Drive less. Cool less. Heat less. Eat less. Consume less. Some are more able to downsize than others, of course. But those who can, should do it. Oh, and get your stuff repaired. Don´t buy new if you can afford it.
To many of our elected "leaders" in congress no longer work for the people. They work for whatever special interest person/group that put them there. Our government is broken, and it will take a herculean effort by voters to fix it. Unfortunately, I am seeing an American electorate so apathetic that there is little chance the current trend in elections will change. In the history of politics in our still young country who would have predicted acting like a fool would be the best way to get elected? The Founders did their best to anticipate the potential issues of a democratic republic, but they could no better foresee what life in the country would be like two plus centuries later than any of us could today.
No shortage of trolls attempting to contaminate your timely and excellent essay Mr Rather. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and calm. I so much appreciate you. ❤️
Every time there is a Sandy Hook, Parkland, Virgina Tech or Uvalde the nation is horrified but AK47s are still available to murder innocent people. Today we are VERY HOT. That should motivate leaders to take action but the summer heat will pass and ice melting at the poles will continue unnoticed. There will be more mass murders at shopping malls churches and schools. Oceans will rise but climate like, gun control will not be addressed. Our government does not work. Republican senators obstruct and change rules as it benefits them. Unless we can elect leaders who will work to serve the people rather than special interests or their own financial interests nothing will change... I am not optimistic. Be prepared to be trapped in the kitchen if voters do not do their job. We must elect leaders who have the vision and drive to inspire, lead and create the changes that the majority of us want. But be afraid... look at Sharon Hendriksons comment below...
We are all guilty of not addressing climate change for future generations. We have failed our children and grandchildren and future posterity. We can change but will we? Will our selfish behavior continue to drive the conveniences we desire and those we feel we deserve? What will you do now to make a difference?