We folks over age 50 are canaries in the climate change coal mine, a point made clear by Susan Atkinson’s thoughtful op-ed “Climate change is not just a risk for our grandkids” (Feb. 7).
A warmer world affects the most vulnerable first — the old, the young, the sick and the poor. Failing to take immediate action to cool our planet is both immoral and foolish. If the bell tolls for some of us, it will eventually toll for all of us.
We have the solutions to save our world. They are exciting and offer great possibilities beyond halting a crisis — new jobs and industries, greater economic equity and massive innovation, just to name a few.
Elections are around the corner. Encourage your chosen candidates to advocate for meaningful legislation, such as a carbon tax — one of the most effective ways to lower emissions and a policy increasingly embraced around the world.
We need the personal and political will to take action. Now.
There is no time to waste.
— Sara Shacter, Chicago
Benefits of bold policies
Older Americans are frequently deemed irrelevant — in employment and the arts and in relation to the continuing effects of climate change — and are seen as incapable in retirement of contributing to society. Yet it’s important to note that the graying of America soon will be inescapable: Older adults are projected to outnumber kids for the first time in U.S. history. In just 10 years, there will be 77 million people aged 65 and over in this country, while the number of kids under the age of 18 will be 76.5 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
So, yes, addressing climate change through bold policies such as putting a fee on carbon emissions from fossil fuels and building up a clean-energy economy will benefit all, old and young, alike.
— Joe Tedino, volunteer, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Chicago
We need permitting reform
Thank you for Susan Atkinson’s op-ed. Atkinson makes the case that while more people acknowledge and are concerned about climate change, not enough is being done to mitigate it. She suggests a smart solution that would put a tax on U.S. fossil fuel companies for their carbon emissions to help address the crisis.
But I would add another critically important action to her list: permitting reform. If the goal is to get to net-zero by 2050, we need a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. We’ll never reach that 2030 goal unless we can build interstate electrical transmission lines faster. It now takes an average of about 10 years to do the environmental assessment, secure permits and build an interstate line. Without the ability to responsibly speed up that process, we won’t have the capacity to bring new cleaner, renewable energy from rural areas to the urban areas where it is needed.
In addition, Atkinson correctly advises readers to contact their U.S. representatives to act on climate. I would add that when readers contact their lawmakers, they should be as specific with their request as possible. We should tell our federal representative that we need legislative action supporting carbon pricing and permitting reform for building new interstate transmission lines.
— Andrew Panelli, Homer Glen
Simple lifestyle choices
Many thanks to Leanne Italie of The Associated Press for her collection of lifestyle changes to make our homes more sustainable and climate-friendly (“Little things make difference,” Feb.1 in print). Practical ideas for all of us, and a bonus for those looking for positive ways to observe Lent!
— Carol Richart, Downers Grove
Quest for Girl Scout cookies
I had a mixed reaction to the article published in the Tribune (“Cookies may cost more dough,” Feb. 7 in print) that reports on the increased prices of Girl Scout cookies. One gripe is the amount of each sale going to the manufacturers, including candy giant the Ferrero Group, instead of the Girl Scouts and their programs. While not a destitute pensioner, I am concerned about the higher cost and still willing to indulge myself with Thin Mints and Trefoils at this time of year.
Also, like many people my age, I am also technology-averse, so I reacted poorly recently when I found a flyer from one Scout slipped in my door letting me order cookies by scanning a QR Code on the flyer. That is a bridge too far! As impersonal as a QR Code, why not just order from Amazon?
I do share the concerns for the individual Girl Scout’s safety, and I understand why they are not coming to front doors with their order lists. Therefore, for the next few weeks, I’ll be on the lookout for grocery stores with Scouts and their leaders out front at tables selling cookies.
— Chris Donovan, Oak Park
Greatness of Tom Skilling
As a country music announcer, I was urged to practice audience relatability, or speaking to my audience as if addressing them personally instead of as part of a larger crowd. I assume the same applies to some degree in TV. Tom Skilling, WGN’s retiring meteorologist, figured that out long ago.
Charisma, I’ve noticed, comes in two forms: There’s John F. Kennedy- and Muhammad Ali-type charisma; then there’s the Skilling variety. In today’s world, there’s room for both.
I’m not trying to lionize anyone, but I think there are two tiers of great men, one for the George Washingtons, Albert Einsteins and Martin Luther Kings and a second tier for what I call the Skilling group, or people who can clearly explain complex things, like the weather, to people like me: to educate, not intimidate. In this politically partisan, speak-now-and-think-later society, that’s a gift.
Add Skilling’s name to a short list of those with the same gift: Orion Samuelson, Ray Rayner, Harry Volkman, Wally Phillips, Fahey Flynn and TV artist Bob Ross. If you’re familiar with them, consider yourself lucky; if not, Google them.
We need more of their kind — and not just on the air.
— Jim Newton, Itasca
My introduction to Chicago
The recent selection of letters on slogans for Chicago (Jan. 27) reminded me of my very first encounter with our great city. Having spent the first 18 years of my life in medium-size cities in Nebraska and Colorado, my first day in Chicago was definitely eye-popping.
My mom and I arrived by train in 1956. The train ride, our first ever, was wonderful, and walking through the cavernous, gorgeous Union Station on Canal Street took our breath away.
Hitting the streets of Chicago, we gazed up in wonder at the skyscrapers. “Mom, they block out the sun!” I said excitedly. A cab pulled up, and we got in, fearful that we were in for the hair-raising, death-defying ride of our lives. But no, the cabbie drove like a normal person, and we arrived safely at our destination.
What I remember most about the Magnificent Mile was how well dressed were all the passersby, many of them carrying briefcases. Was it Sunday? Was everyone going to church? No, it was a routine weekday. People in the Loop dressed like that: suits, shiny shoes, high heels, flowing skirts. Growing up, all I saw were cowboy boots, jeans, huge belt buckles, and cowboy scarves and hats, for both men and women.
Michigan Avenue was a mysterious world of gentlemen and gentlewomen, walking with great determination, looking neither left nor right, some great goal in sight. The beautiful mannequins in the store windows had nothing on these real, nattily attired men and women scurrying by in all directions.
So this was Chicago, a world-class city with a river running through it, and I was soon to be part of it all.
— Kathleen Melia, Niles