Individual, collective actions both needed

It is easy to disparage what one believes are the insufficient efforts of others to conceal an unwillingness to do anything about the same issue yourself, as Mr. Kopp does in his recent letter. Though Ms. Thunberg hardly needs my defense, a quick perusal of her back story shows that her efforts to do the right thing go well beyond riding a sailboat to New York City.

But when Mr. Kopp challenges individuals to change their behavior to turn concern into action on the climate emergency, he has a point, whether one agrees with his motives or his limited list of options. Because the use of fossil fuel suffuses every aspect of modern life, rising to the challenge of climate change will require thousands of individual decisions across hundreds of categories. We will need to be mindful of every purchase decision, every behavior, and every energy choice.

Individual action, however, will not be enough. We need to magnify our personal behavior by linking with others through the implementation of effective national policies to incentivize what we need and discourage what we don't. Right now there are six carbon pricing bills in Congress, including the powerful HR 763, Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, that will reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% by 2050. Let's link significant personal action with comprehensive national policy to confront this danger to our children's future.

We must resist the urge to disrespect the modest efforts of our neighbors because we are looking for yet another reason to avoid our own responsibility. We can only address this emergency by acting individually and collectively to turn away from the past and embrace a livable future for all.

Steve Bogaerts

Rolling Meadows