When it comes to the climate crisis, don’t hope — act
Updated September 29, 2019, 12:01 a.m.

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