To the Editor:
There is general agreement in the scientific and governmental communities that the earth has warmed to a point higher than in any period in history, and that this has been caused by human activity since the industrial revolution; mostly by the burning of fossil fuels for power and transportation.
The impact of current trends worldwide is already being felt in melting sea ice, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, increased disease and deaths, and devastating weather events. Reliable estimates show the potential for huge property losses along the coasts, unmanageable crop failures in impoverished lands, and over 3 million deaths every year from temperature related illnesses.
In Florida, coastal flooding from sea level rise could cause irreparable harm. Our state is essentially a big sandbar jutting into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. We have the second longest coastline and the second lowest average elevation in the nation. The average elevation of the Everglades is 3 feet! The city of Miami is listed as one the 10 most endangered cities in the world, and of that 10, it’s the number one in property value at risk. Data shows incidents of major weather events has increased dramatically. These include hurricanes like Irma which hit Florida hard in 2017. The flooding and damage was horrific. This is not some arctic glacier event, this is our home!
Many approaches have been discussed to address this problem. Some say build sea walls and pumping stations. The Lower Florida area is already planning for huge investment in these things. These are band-aids. The real effort must be in in eliminating the root cause: fossil fuels. There is a bill in congress which will do this with the least pain: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. It accounts for the true costs of fossil fuels and returns money to taxpayers to soften the expense. It will allow us to transition to renewable energy sources through natural market processes and private enterprise.
True conservatives want to preserve the planet and existing resources. Let’s not waste this opportunity. Let Representative Webster know we need to make this place safe for our grandkids and their grandkids. Do it before the trends are irreversible. It’s the most important issue of our day. Join the effort.
Hank Farrell
Village of Buttonwood
