Once I voted earlier this month, I voted on one situation greater than another: drastic motion on local weather change and the atmosphere.
Though the candidates largely side-stepped this situation as a result of it has fallen sufferer to “id politics,” local weather change is affecting all of us. Local weather change doesn’t care what occasion we’re affiliated with. Local weather change doesn’t care if we consider in it or not.
Local weather change is going on due to carbon and methane emissions attributable to fashionable man, and solely fashionable man can repair this downside.
Environmental scientists have been sounding the alarm for many years, and I belief them, as a result of they’ve developed experience by schooling and analysis. I belief them for a similar cause I might belief solely a cardiac surgeon to carry out open-heart surgical procedure, not a politician, a neighbor, or some podcaster or social media “influencer.”
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The oceans are warming and the poles are melting, and excessive climate occasions have elevated enormously. If for no different cause than the economics of paying for nonstop catastrophes and of rising insurance coverage charges, let’s band collectively to unravel this downside by options like carbon charges, reforestation, renewable vitality and allowing reform.
We have to let our legislators know it is a prime precedence for us, and we have to hold reminding them with telephone calls and letters.
We’d like the U.S. Environmental Safety Company to implement extra laws, not fewer, as a result of, with out regulation, firms will prioritize short-term income earlier than long-term environmental options, as we’ve got seen with the oil corporations.
As a brand new presidential administration enters that will dismantle the advances the Biden administration had made on mitigating local weather change, such because the Inflation Discount Act, we have to struggle tougher than ever to avoid wasting our lovely and life-sustaining planet.
Francesca Kelly, Highland Park
Concentrate, Mr. Mayor
Pricey Mayor Cool Dad: Generally voters say and do issues to get a politician’s consideration. Your low approval ranking is on the desk. Like a baby staring out the window in a Chicago Public Faculties class, you’re nonetheless not paying consideration.
Paul Koehler, Rogers Park
Bear up: ‘Not one single penny’
Simply final month Forbes Journal revealed a list of NFL franchise values. In that report, the Chicago Bears had been ninth, valued at $6.4 billion.
It is very important bear in mind the McCaskey household inherited their 80% stake within the group, subsequently it principally price them not a darn factor. It additionally means in the event that they wished $2 billion to construct a brand new stadium, banks all around the nation could be beating down their doorways to supply them a mortgage.
It’s clear Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is of the best thoughts and Mayor Brandon Johnson isn’t with regard to the idea of public cash for a brand new Bears stadium.
The group doesn’t want one single penny from any authorities entity to construct their stadium, and that’s precisely the quantity they need to be given. Possibly to grease the skids, although, we will supply them a property tax rebate with each Tremendous Bowl victory.
Don Anderson, Oak Park
Illinois’ partnership with Taiwan is an asset
Taiwan and Illinois share a robust and rising partnership, significantly within the areas of unpolluted vitality, expertise and public security. Taiwan is dedicated to mitigating local weather impacts by its formidable targets, together with a 2050 net-zero emissions goal and the institution of a carbon charge system set to take impact in 2025.
With Taiwan’s give attention to accelerating renewable vitality growth, together with wind energy, geothermal, hydrogen and ocean vitality, together with modern inexperienced applied sciences, Taiwan is a key participant in international efforts to handle local weather change.
As a pacesetter in clear vitality, Illinois’ experience in renewable applied sciences completely enhances Taiwan’s imaginative and prescient, and collectively, they will create vital alternatives to advance sustainable practices worldwide.
Taiwan’s dedication to local weather motion aligns with worldwide frameworks just like the Paris Settlement, whereas Illinois’ management in inexperienced vitality innovation will strengthen their mutual contributions. Taiwan’s participation within the the United Nations Framework Conference on Local weather Change is crucial for each Taiwan and Illinois to share their data and speed up international efforts to fight local weather change.
Equally, Taiwan’s regulation enforcement capabilities play a essential position in combating transnational crime, together with human trafficking, cyberattacks and drug trafficking. Nonetheless, Taiwan’s exclusion from INTERPOL limits its potential to totally cooperate in worldwide regulation enforcement.
Illinois, with its experience in safety and public security, stands to learn from deeper cooperation with Taiwan to handle international threats. By supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in each the UNFCCC and INTERPOL frameworks, Illinois may also help strengthen international safety, foster innovation and contribute to a safer, extra sustainable world for all.
Dennis Yen-Feng Lei, director Normal of Taipei Financial and Cultural Workplace, Chicago
Rocky’s ringside fumble
Did anybody hear Sylvester Stallone reward Donald Trump final week, describing the president-elect as “the second George Washington!” Ahem! It doesn’t matter what you’re feeling about Trump, is anybody questioning if Stallone acquired hit within the head too many occasions rehearsing his Rocky movies? What’s subsequent? Trump asking Stallone if he needs to go the Nuclear Regulatory Fee. BOOM!!!
Lou DeRosa Jr., Westchester
