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Letter: Let’s not doom our children to a future of water shortages, dangerous heat and ecological devastation

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Heatwaves rise of the asphalt and blur the image of a bicyclist riding the Prospector Rail Trail in West Bountiful, as temperatures topped 100 degrees on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

We hit 107 degrees on June 15th. This ties the all-time highest temperatures ever recorded, which happened in July of 2002 and 1960 — typically our hottest month, but we hit it in mid-June. These kinds of temperatures evaporate a lot of water and, as we all know, water is in short supply this year, so the blast furnace of heat is even more unwelcome.

Despite increasing temperatures, decreasing snowpack and growing population, we continue to pussyfoot around the issue of climate change. We are on a collision course with disaster if we continue to ignore climate disruption. We need to come together around this most pressing concern and ask all of our legislators regardless of party and at every level to address something that is affecting and will affect all of us.

This is not a partisan deal — weather and climate do not care about our political affiliations. We have a great opportunity here in Utah to build a coalition of concerned citizens and politicians that support action on climate. It is already happening — consider the brave work of Rep. John Curtis — a Republican — committed to action on climate. There is potentially workable legislation waiting in the wings to stem the tide of climate change, but what is lacking is the will of the people. Please, let’s not doom our children to a future of water shortages, dangerous heat, and ecological devastation. Instead, let’s turn up the heat on a push for climate legislation now -- before we succumb to the heat.

Liz Haigh, Millcreek

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