Boston Globe Letters: “When it comes to the climate crisis, don’t hope-act”

By September 29, 2019 October 13th, 2019 General Climate Change News, Letters to the Editor, Local News

When it comes to the climate crisis, don’t hope — act

Updated September 29, 2019, 12:01 a.m.

Emily Trelstad, 17, of Brookline (left), Amalia Hochman, 17, of Somerville, and Audrey Lin, 18, of Watertown pass out fliers on a rush hour train to inform the public of the Sept. 20 youth climate strike in Boston.
Emily Trelstad, 17, of Brookline (left), Amalia Hochman, 17, of Somerville, and Audrey Lin, 18, of Watertown pass out fliers on a rush hour train to inform the public of the Sept. 20 youth climate strike in Boston.BARRY CHIN/GLOBE STAFF

The Globe’s Ideas section headline on Sept. 22 asked: “Will hope be enough to save the world?”

The answer is clearly: “No.”

Last week’s more than 4 million climate strikers on all seven continents did not call for hope but for political action. Here in Boston, the hundreds striking called the Legislature to act.

Of the many climate bills before the Legislature now, the Sierra Club considers these as priorities:

H.2810, An Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce Carbon Emissions, sponsored by Representative Jennifer Benson, which would put a fee on carbon, so we burn less;

H.732 & S.459, An Act Protecting the Natural Resources of the Commonwealth, sponsored by Representative Ruth Balser and Senator Jamie Eldridge, which would help preserve open space to reduce atmospheric CO2 and mitigate flooding; and

H.2836, An Act Re-Powering Massachusetts with 100 Percent Renewable Energy, sponsored by Representatives Marjorie Decker and Sean Garballey, which would set goals for the state to achieve 100 percent renewable energy.

The Legislature needs to get on with the job and enact some or all of this legislation this session.

Benjamin Pignatelli

Boston

The writer is chair of the Massachusetts chapter of the Sierra Club.

Re “Will hope be enough to save the world?” by David Scharfenberg, Sept. 22: The young people at the Boston climate strike exhibited such a positive vibe. How can we not love them and join them in fighting for a healthy future?

Marjorie Lee

Wayland