Turning back 50 years of progress

Editors, thank you for the op-ed by U.S. Representative Bill Foster in a recent edition of your paper on science and climate change. Rep. Foster, as a scientist also, tells us that with years of data on temperatures rising, extreme weather events increasing, and visible melting of the world's glaciers, we can see for ourselves what most scientists, more than 97 percent, say about climate change. It is happening and is human-caused for the most part.

He also adds that "most experts believe that within the next 30-70 years we will begin to see very significant then catastrophic, economic, and social consequences."

He goes on to say that politicians are slow to act because they focus on short term political gain rather than the long term interests of the nation. We have to resist the backward movement of the current governmental appointees who deny climate change, take the word "science" out of from the EPA's mission statement, and even call climate change a "hoax" while putting sea walls up around a golf course to prevent damages from sea level rise.

Some are trying to turn back our progress in clean air, water, and on land we have made in the almost 50 years since the Clean Water and the Clean Air Acts were signed by a Republican president.

Our children, and their kids deserve at least what we had. Life cannot be allowed to end for half the species on the Earth! We can and will do whatever is needed to turn from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, conserve energy, save our resources, live simpler, and be happier and with more jobs.

Sandy Kaptain

Elgin