Dear President,

Climate Change is an apocalypse. The extreme nature of this is appalling and needs to be addressed. The United States needs to move to alternative energy and fund research to reverse climate change.

Our carbon emissions have gone through the roof. According to the EPA, “Since 1970, CO2 emissions have increased by about 90%, with emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes contributing about 78% of the total greenhouse gas emissions increase from 1970 to 2011.” Also, the EPA states “16% of the global carbon emissions are from the US.” The United States are emitting a massive amount of carbon, meaning that we are helping wipe out our own race. The carbon emissions is a crisis.

The consequences of emissions are massive. According to NASA, “Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves. Projections of future climate over the U.S. suggest that the recent trend towards increased heavy precipitation events will continue By the end of this century, what have been once-in-20-year extreme heat days (one-day events) are projected to occur every two or three years over most of the nation. Hurricane-associated storm intensity and rainfall rates are projected to increase as the climate continues to warm. Ocean waters will therefore continue to warm and sea level will continue to rise for many centuries at rates equal to or higher than that of the current century. The Arctic Ocean is expected to become essentially ice free in summer before mid-century.” This means that many lives will be lost, our vital resources lost, which will eventually wipe out life on Earth.

We are killing off our own species. According to usnews.com, “A report commissioned by the governments of more than 20 countries found that more than 100 million people will die as a result of climate change by 2030 if the world stays on its current path.” This is in the near future, and this will happen if we just continue our trend. We don’t have much time, the Earth itself, is in jeopardy because we haven’t cared enough to help Mother Earth.

With the human race at risk, we luckily have the solutions, and they are right in front of us. We have solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric to name a few. \According to altenergy.org, "Modern hydro turbines can convert as much as 90% of the available energy into electricity. The best fossil fuel plants are only about 50% efficient.” This means that not only is hydroelectric power cleaner, it is more efficient. In addition, altenergy.org states that “In the US , hydropower is produced for an average of 0.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This is about one-third the cost of using fossil fuel or nuclear and one-sixth the cost of using natural gas," We not only have a cleaner, more efficient solution, but a cheaper alternative as well.

With carbon levels soaring and devastating consequences, with your word we can solve this. No pressure.

Sincerely,

Charlie Killian