In the flood plain, we ignore climate change at our peril

Climate change is all too real

Re “In a fact-challenged era, will public access to federal data be the next casualty?” (sacbee.com, March 11): I am concerned about the apparent lack of transparency of our federal government. This article cited the removal of climate change information from the White House’s web page and elimination of reports of evidence linking human activities to global climate change.

The federal government needs to work with non-governmental organizations to solve global problems. Given much of Sacramento, including downtown, is in a flood plain, we are gambling by ignoring climate change.

Ignorance won’t end climate change

The Trump administration's approach to public access to federal data is not entirely known, but signals so far are frightening, particularly in the area of scientific information as relates to climate change.

An example is the proposed de-funding of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, particularly the office responsible for the system of free drifting devices in the ocean measuring ocean temperatures. These measurements are important for climate modeling. At the very least, as an insurance policy in case climate change is not a hoax, this information should continue to be collected and available to scientists. Defunding NOAA and making data inaccessible will make us far less prepared for extreme weather events.

Scott Pruitt is beholden to oil

Re “EPA head says carbon dioxide doesn’t primarily contribute to global warming” (sacbee.com, March 9): My father was a petroleum engineer for Texaco in Kern County, the largest oil producing county in California. He came of age during the early 1930s and 1940s. Petroleum was the way of the future.

Now it is the way of the past. Our earth is suffering from carbon dioxide created by humans. The scientific data points to climate disruption. My father, rest his soul, would be horrified today to see the results of 100 years of petroleum consumption on our earth’s habitat. At our peril, we ignore the research.

Is Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt so embedded with the oil and gas industry that he cannot see the writing on the wall? What will he tell his grandchildren he was doing when we hit the big turning point in CO2 emissions?

Pruitt is trying to foster doubt

When Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt said last week that there was disagreement about the of impact that carbon dioxide was having on our climate, he was trying to generate uncertainty. From a scientific perspective, things don’t work that way.

The American Meteorological Society wrote in response that our CO2 emissions increasing global temperatures “is a conclusion based on the comprehensive assessment of scientific evidence.” Saying there needs to be more studies stalls action, and we have limited time. There are many ways that carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, can be addressed.

But we are well past any uncertainty about it. That argument is at best misguided, and at worst cynical in the most dangerous way.

Democrats must not cave to GOP

Re “Democrats issue warning over Russia probe” Page 1AA, March 12): Democrats are concerned the current Republican-led probe of possible Russian intrusion into the election will be a whitewash.

Their strategy is to walk away and not participate if the probe actually becomes a cover-up. No one has ever won a fight by stepping out of the ring. Walking away will only serve to embolden the tyrants.

Teachers can do only so much

If politicians spent unlimited money and placed all award winning teachers in at-risk schools, what would happen? My guess is the changes would be minimal. Teachers only have a few hours a day to influence students.

It would then seem that the two key ingredients necessary for academic achievement must be parents and communities that are like-minded in supporting education. Unfortunately, most at-risk schools may not have that kind of support and money can’t change that situation.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 2:30 PM with the headline "In the flood plain, we ignore climate change at our peril."