Why we can’t ignore the climate crisis any longer

It’s doubtful that we will soon forget what happened in Kerr County, Texas on Independence Day, 2025. Massive flooding overwhelming the area quickly with deep sludge, leaving 135 dead, at least 37 of which were children. And there are 3 still missing. What are we to make of such a horrific event? Was it just a random event that happens every once in a while? Or was it an event that is bound to happen more regularly? Scientists are warning that global warming (i.e., a climate change component) is causing rising sea levels and more intense rainfall, both of which increase the risk and severity of flooding.

And it’s not only floods but fires. We’ve read about and seen photos of the 2021 Los Angeles fires which collectively were one of the largest wildfires on record in California. They caused major damage to homes and lives. And to take a recent global view, more than 78 million acres of forest burned across the world and left billions of tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide release continues to wreak havoc for years. Scientists have concluded that climate change is strongly linked to wildfires as it definitely exacerbates the conditions needed for wildfires. And bigger fires cause more emissions, thus causing more fire weather to seed future fires. All of the above disasters are becoming more extreme every year. Is this an avoidable continuum?

And, we need to look further than the events of fire or flooding. What occurs after each? There are many chain reactions. Floods and fires cause topsoil erosion plus pollution and sedimentation of waterways. Wildfires also burn plastics which are not meant to be burned, releasing toxic smoke and microplastics. All of these negatively affect the environment and habitats for humans and animals.

But it’s not just these disasters we have to worry about. Research shows that 2023 and 2024 were the hottest years on record. This research supports the global warming piece of climate change. And, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking this summer will beat all the heat records for the northeast U.S. The primary causes of this warming are fossil fuels, coal and gas, which are used to fire manufacturing plants which then emit greenhouse gases. Globally, these plants account for approximately 30% of pollution driven climate change. And fossil fuel power plants are the largest single industrial source of climate destabilizing carbon dioxide in the U.S. We’ve lived more than a century with these deadly pollutants in the air.

Some people think that this is just a small problem for the U.S. Some think that climate change is a regular temporary event and global warming will disappear. Our current administration hopes to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and its climate change reduction policies. Do you agree with this thinking and action? I do not.