Cynthia Mahoney & Don Gaede - 7/12/2017 Modesto Bee - Cynthia Mahoney and Don Gaede: Cows are the ‘canaries’ of our Central Valley

In Modesto Bee

Cynthia Mahoney and Don Gaede: Cows are the ‘canaries’ of our Central Valley

ead more here: http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article160961369.html#storylink=cpy

July 12, 2017 11:32 AM

Re “Killer heat struck hard at dairies in South Valley” (Page 1A, June 4): June’s record heat killed over 4,000 dairy cows in California’s Central Valley, prompting a state of emergency. Heat waves are increasing, with 3 of every 4 daily heat extremes attributed to global warming.
Physicians know heat can be deadly for people as well as cows.
Continued “business-as-usual” burning of fossil fuels will cause Central Valley cities like Fresno to go from 10 to 25 days over 100 degrees each year to a vicious average of 72 days of 100-degree days by mid-century.
That kind of heat can cause hundreds of human deaths. Pregnant women, the very young, the elderly and poor, outdoor workers and athletes are especially vulnerable. Physicians are urging action; prevention is the best remedy.
The prescription: carbon pricing to accelerate a rapid transition to clean, renewable energy. That will protect our health and the health of our bovine friends. Please let your representative know you want Congress to fill this prescription.

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article160961369.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article160961369.html

Dr. Cynthia Mahoney, Contra Costa; Dr. Don Gaede, Fresno
Medical Society Consortium On Climate & Health

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Bruce Ratcliffe - 7/2017 unpublished - Vanilla?

Vanilla?

     Today’s Reader Challenge: Which headline doesn’t belong?
A)  “Drought pushing toward fifth year”
B)  “Fresno sets record for heat, this time 108 degrees”
C)  “Sierra snowpack expected to be smallest on record”
D”  “California snowpack at drought-busting 173 percent”
E)  “Vanilla bean shortage in Madagascar drives up prices in U.S.”
ANSWER: None of the above.  NASA scientists have predicted that extreme
weather will be an inevitable consequence of rising CO2 levels.  This
prediction was made in detail in the highly respected journal, “Science”
in 1981.  Yes, climate scientists got it right 36 years ago. Since then,
they’ve been filling in the frightening details of human-caused climate
change.
     So what does climate change have to do with the price of vanilla? 
Scientists have long predicted more extreme storms (think:  Katrina,
Sandy, Enawo).  Enawo? This year, cyclone Enawo rendered half a million
people in Madagascar homeless. But who cares about Madagascar? Well,
climate change will cause unexpected, unpleasant consequences
worldwide.  In this case, the vanilla crop was severely damaged, causing
the price of vanilla on the world market to rise 600%.  Top quality
vanilla ice cream in Fresno now sells for $9 a pint.  Global climate
change has global consequences.

Bruce Ratcliffe
Fresno
July 2017

Connie Young - 6/13/2017 - Fresno climate change activists speak to Congress today

Fresno climate change activists speak to Congress today

June 13, 2017 12:25 PM 

A recent New York Times article, “Cracking Washington’s Gridlock to Save the Planet,” provides a wonderful introduction to the work of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). It includes the story of how volunteers helped to facilitate the creation of the House Climate Solutions Caucus. The article opens with this striking endorsement:
When Congress finally passes major legislation to curb carbon emissions...to reduce the environmental and economic harm caused by climate change. Americans will owe a big thank you to the perseverance and discipline of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Today, over 900 CCL volunteers (including two from Fresno), will be on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to pass carbon fee and dividend legislation. All who are concerned about global warming can be part of this national effort by contacting their members of Congress and telling them to work together to solve this problem.
This is our democracy. Let’s stand together and respectfully tell Congress what we want ... a stable climate and a healthier, more livable world.

Connie Young, Fresno
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article155926924.html

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Loren Alving - 6/6/2017 - Trump aside, America will battle climate change

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article155921899.html

 

Trump aside, America will battle climate change

 

Admiral James Stradvidis said “fighting climate change is the ultimate team sport.” By withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, President Trump put the world’s strongest player on the bench, leaving the rest of the team alone to take on a very tough opponent: climate change.

While our president may have ceded our leadership role on this team, many Americans are not willing to do so. Fortunately, they have found other ways to level the playing field and continue the fight.

The Bee editorial (online June 1) expertly laid out what California is doing to further the fight on climate change. Other U.S. cities and states have pledged to honor and uphold the commitments in the Paris accord. The House of Representatives now has 40 members in its Climate Solutions Caucus (which purposefully has equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats). In the few days since the announcement, the business community, including oil companies such as Exxon, have pledged to uphold their commitments.

America is not ready to sit on the bench. Even without leadership at the top, the fight will continue from the ground up. As French President Emmanuel Macron has said, “Let’s make our planet great again!”

Loren Alving

June 6, 2017

Don Gaede - 6/5/2017 - Doctors warn Trump about climate change, but he won’t listen

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article154130069.html

Doctors warn Trump about climate change, but he won’t listen

President Trump is exiting the Paris climate accord AMA – against medical advice. He reminds me of a man who comes to the emergency room with crushing chest pain, is about to be wheeled to the cardiac cath lab for life-saving treatment, but then exclaims, “Hold everything, doc! I just talked to my brother-in-law, and he says it’s just indigestion. So I’m outta here!”

The Medical Society Consortium, a group of national medical societies representing 400,000 clinical practitioners, has come together this year to spread the word that “Climate change is harming Americans today, and these harms will increase unless we act.”

Our country needs to remain in the Paris climate accord for the sake of our health, and even more importantly, for the health of our children and grandchildren.

Don H. Gaede, M.D., Fresno

June 5, 2017

Twyla Smith - 5/26/2017 - Canada’s energy plan may be our model for future

Canada’s energy plan may be our model for future

Russell Harland’s recent letter (May 10) regarding fossil fuels vs. renewal energy ignores the massive handouts the fossil fuel industry has enjoyed for many decades. He contends that renewal energy companies shouldn’t need subsidies to be competitive.

It’s true renewables are beginning to get a bigger slice of the pie – and they should. Who wouldn’t prefer to support energy sources that free us from increasing reliance on foreign countries and from the pollution, environmental degradation and health consequences of fossil fuels?

When examining the energy programs of Australia and Canada, Mr. Harland fails to look at the whole picture. Canada’s impending plan is based on British Columbia’s, which has been in place since 2008, and has lowered carbon emissions while their economy kept pace with the rest of the country. It’s been a success and remains very popular.

Sadly, by failing to return the monies collected back to their people, the Australian plan was doomed. The lesson learned is that the “dividend” component of any carbon fee is absolutely necessary to protect both consumers and the economy.

Canada’s plan, once proved successful, could be our model for the future.

Twyla Smith

May 26, 2017

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article152390577.html

Tom Lambert - 5/20/2017 - Eliminate all energy subsidies, including fossil fuels

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article151372257.html

Eliminate all energy subsidies, including fossil fuels

May 20, 2017

Russell Harland argues in his letter May 9 that if solar and wind power were competitive, they would not need subsidies. Yet between 1950 and 2010, the federal government provided $594 billion of subsidies for fossil fuels compared with $74 billion for renewables according to a 2011 study commissioned by the Nuclear Energy Institute.

In addition, Americans spend $120 billion per year on health-care costs associated with burning fossil fuels, an indirect subsidy to the fossil fuel industry. The National Academy of Sciences estimated this hidden subsidy at 3.2 cents per kWh for coal in 2005. Other estimates are as much as tenfold that cost. If fossil fuels are competitive, why do they need such subsidies?

Mr. Harland has a valid point about subsidies, though. Let’s stop all subsidies and price energy according to true costs, including health care, by adding a fee for each ton of carbon produced. Rather than subsidizing anything, return that fee to the American people and let us spend it where we want. When people pay the true costs for their energy, without subsidies, there is no question that renewables will win. And so will the American people.

Tom Lambert, Yosemite National Park