To the editor:

Donald Trump has been busy implementing his plans for:  a government totally under his control, substitution of mindless loyalty for competence, economic and political policies to enhance the incomes of the extremely wealthy, termination of notions of equality and justice for all, abandoning our responsibility to lead and help the rest of the world. These are serious and damaging actions which will take us years or even a generation or two to remedy, but they are temporary effects.  

Much more dangerous is his antipathy toward attempts to slow and eventually reverse the terrible heating of the earth.  He wants to cancel all that was accomplished in the last four years in promotion of sustainable energy and reduction of CO2 release.  That also will be temporary, but still he will do much to sabotage our current efforts and thereby speed up the persisting rise in CO2 levels and consequent climate/weather disasters.

So, we can’t expect any responsible action on climate change by our government for the next few years.  That means the responsibility rests even more on our own shoulders.  We each need to increase our efforts to limit our own and our country’s carbon footprints.  We can make a difference.

Put on a sweater.  Put the leaf blower in the attic.  Make the next car an EV.  Try the bus.  Push local and state authorities to promote energy conservation and renewable energy production.  Cancel that trip to Uzbekistan.  Support rational candidates at midterms.  Donate to the Sierra Club.  Start today.  

Joe Douglas,

Lawrence