Climate change affects us here in NE Ohio
Letter to the Editor,
One of the biggest blind spots people have about climate change here in Northeast Ohio is the mistaken notion that somehow we will avoid many of the worst consequences just because of where we live. To the contrary, whatever affects other parts of the country will affect us as well. Examples of climate-related disasters that will have real and significant effects on our quality of life here in Ohio include the following:
—Widespread low crop yields or failed crops due to flooding and drought.
—Health risks and loss of productivity due to more extreme high-heat days, especially combined with air pollution from wildfires.
—Strained food supply chains resulting in higher grocery-store prices.
—Skyrocketing insurance premiums due to payouts in hard-hit areas.
—Water shortages.
—Mass-level displacement and internal migration.
As more migrate to our region for the abundance of fresh water, moderate temperatures, arable land that doesn't require irrigation, et cetera, the cost of living is bound to rise. Population pressures and the higher cost of living could lead to more political and social friction and unrest.
Just because we're not near where the worst climate disasters are occurring or are likely to occur, it doesn’t mean we’re protected from negative economic, social and environmental consequences — all of America will have to deal with the fallout from the more frequent and catastrophic disasters, wherever they occur. Flooding in Florida; wildfires in the west; more extreme-heat days in states like Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas; and severe drought in many areas — it affects us all, and no region will be immune.
We're all in one boat together, and we need to start caring more about fellow citizens and acting in the best interests of all Americans if we want to save ourselves and leave a more livable world for our children and following generations.
David Gillespie
Wooster
Letters to the Editor must be 300 words or less, should include name and place of residence, and include no personal attacks. Letters will be published based on availability of space, and AloNovus Corp. reserves the right not to publish and to edit for clarification purposes, and writers are limited to one letter every 30 days. Letters should be emailed to Editor Mike Plant at mplant@alonovus.com.