Student climate strikers are the ones living in reality
Wednesday’s paper prominently featured a letter from a Mr. Walker in Cobble Hill stating that youth who attended the protest against the burning of excessive fossil fuel (carbon fixed by plants from C02 100s of millions of years ago) “…should have to pass a new course called ‘reality’.”
Mr Walker, with respect, most of them certainly have. It’s you hasn’t.
For you and others who are in denial over what our generation has done, and who “research” on the web to find support for their skepticism, (usually on fossil fuel funded sites), that they search “NASA + Climate + evidence” and explore a bit of “reality” (in lay-speak), or go to Youtube and search (that well known left-Liberal organization) “The Pentagon and Climate” for more reality, as the Pentagon has stated for the record: “Climate Change, energy security, and economic stability are inextricably linked. Climate change will contribute to food and water scarcity, will increase the spread of disease, and may spur or exacerbate mass migration.” That’s REALITY, Mr. Walker.
My thermodynamics prof in engineering school in the ’70s, knew the effects of the carbon we’re releasing. He understood the greenhouse effect. Though he didn’t know the extent to which we’ve exceeded CO2 levels at that time. I’m ashamed that I didn’t make changes then.
Most of the students know that there will be short term costs for the conversion to more sustainable and carbon neutral energy but also know that their generation and subsequent will face far greater costs if we do not move more quickly. The overwhelming majority of scientific evidence supports these kids.
It’s my generation (and, I presume, yours, Mr. Walker) who has so far failed to act on the evidence. It’s theirs who will suffer.
Peter Lake
Cowichan Valley