Xylina Session

1/26/2017

U.S. Gov

Dear News Editor:

It appears that lately our political leaders have been sidelining an increasingly pressing

issue: climate change. With most national issues, the standpoint of our leaders on the political

spectrum is what establishes the action taken towards the issue. The common debate sprouts

from when the liberal side of the spectrum disagrees with the way the conservative side deals

with the issue, or vice versa. With climate change, an approach to fixing the problem is hard to

come by because one side of the spectrum doesnt even seem to acknowledge the fact that it

exists.

Symptoms of climate change are manifest in: polar ice melt, glacier retreats, intense

storms, endangered wildlife, and rising of sea level. Temperatures are expected to rise by as

much as ten degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. Greenhouse gas is at the highest level

in 400,000 years. Whether or not one fears the effects of climate change, there is truth in the fact

that the world is not in a quality state for future generations. 1

Our country in particular seems to perpetuate the dangers of greenhouse emission. The

United States with 5% of the worlds population is responsible for greenhouse emissions, more

than any other country. Also, U.S. emissions are roughly 50% higher than EU and Japan2. These

facts are enough to prove that the problem is real and we are a huge part of it. Burning fossil

fuels and emission from industries and residents are major causes to the problem.

1
"Climate Action Reserve." Climate Action Reserve. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.
2
"Climate Action Reserve." Climate Action Reserve. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.
 According to the New York Times, switching to a hybrid car and eating less meat wont

be enough. In the end, though, experts do not believe the needed transformation in the energy

system can happen without strong state and national policies.3

Common attitude towards the issue includes leaving climate change up for debate.

Beliefs including that global warming isnt as dire a situation as portrayed by common press is a

strong influence among leading decisions. Climatechangefacts.info is a site dedicated to showing

the real facts of climate change.

To show the imbalance, as one reads in the popular press, we have created a companion

site that presents the evidence for global cooling, just as most newspapers and alarmist

present only the science that supports warming.4

The issue itself would be a lot more comfortable to address if citizens knew that their

leaders were being proactive. It doesnt look like this is going to be a reality, however. . . . a

Pruitt-led Environmental Protection Agency could undo or weaken the Obama administrations

climate regulations [which] gave weight to the U.S. commitment to curb greenhouse gas

pollution. . .5

Climate change is more than just a political issue up for debate, it deserves more attention

than from just celebrities and hippies. It affects us on local and international levels. And those

kinds of problems dont go away simply by ignoring them.

3
Gillis, Justin. "Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change." N.p., 28 Nov. 2015. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.

4
"Global Climate Change Facts: The Truth, The Consensus, and the Skeptics." Facts about Climate Change Science
and Ocean Acidification, truth from consensus and climate change skeptics. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.

5
"Climate Central: A Science and News Organization." Climate Central: A Science & News Organization. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 Jan. 2017.