I could criticize the current administration for its response to climate change, but I am not here to demonize President Donald Trump. He knows the danger, politicians on both sides do. The defense department has warned us for at least 30 years, first recognizing climate change as a security threat during the George H.W. Bush administration.

The problem seems to be one of perception. Look up at the sky and it seems so vast. How could our industries, agriculture and transportation possibly have an effect? But, remember the world globes we all had in school? At this scale, our atmosphere is about as thick as a coat of paint. Think about this.

Into that envelope humans release about 90 million tons of carbon dioxide every day. The earth’s natural processes absorb about half of that.

Do the math. Read the news.

Politicians say these are “once in a century events.”

There have been an awful lot of them this century. Economically, the last 10 hurricane seasons have cost the U.S. almost $1.5 trillion. But, the last few weeks have produced costs that cannot be measured in dollars. Heartbreaking devastation in Texas, hellish fires in California,.

At some point, will U.S. voters demand change? Do we care?

Joseph Brusberg

Hermiston

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