This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I recently installed air-conditioning in a house in the mountains. The lovely couple had lived there for 50 years without needing it, but the summers are now getting too hot. It wasn't the time nor place to teach these Coalville residents about the science of climate change, but if they read this perhaps they can connect the dots that have been so muddled by misinformation campaigns from the fossil fuel corporations.
Five hundred and fifty days ago my letter-to-the-editor was published celebrating the achievement of 196 countries coming together to begin working toward protecting our children from greenhouse gas pollution with the Paris climate accord. It's regrettable that the U.S chose a president that would rather emulate Syria and Nicaragua than to demonstrate to the world that we care enough to act.
Thankfully, this doesn't mean that Earth is doomed, but it sure makes it harder to be proud that I'm American. Our great nation's standing in the world shouldn't be subject to the whims of one individual or the vested interests of those who profit from pollution. That's why we need Congress to represent the majority of Americans by putting a price on carbon.
Kevin Leecaster
Salt Lake City