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Letters to the Herald

We need leaders who admit that climate change exists

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l Storm Ida spun off tornadoes –– plural –– and dumped up to 10 inches of rain on Southeastern Pennsylvania, leaving behind scarred and flooded communities and many millions in infrastructure damage. This past week it was southwest Florida’s (far worse) turn.
The devastation from Hurricane Ian is but the latest reminder of how vulnerable we all are to the deepening climate crisis.
The recent passage of the climate bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to halt this cycle of “rinse” (the increase in intense rain events is a hallmark of climate change), rebuild, repeat. With the IRA’s help, we can make our communities more resilient, our homes more efficient, and reduce and then end our dependence on warming-linked fossil fuels.
Question is, will we seize this last, best chance to avert runaway climate change?

Cue the “We can’t afford it” chorus. Somehow, this refrain goes, we can afford to keep rebuilding the same way and in the same places, storm after storm –– damages from Harvey, alone, cost $125 billion –– but we can’t afford the IRA’s price tag of about $37 billion per year over a 10-year period.
Never mind that the IRA will save lives and money, spur innovation, create jobs and maybe, just maybe, secure a livable planet for those who come after us.
We desperately need leaders who aren’t in denial about the climate threat or what it will take to meet it. Nov. 8, let’s vote accordingly.
Andrea Strout, Buckingham


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