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Society must change

To the Journal editor:

What is more dire, the often perceived national security interests of the United States, or climate change, global warming and their negative effects and threat to life on Earth?

With the recent mid-term elections and control of both houses of Congress passing to the Republicans the threat may have increased if one is to believe the post election rhetoric coming out of the mouths of Republicans.

They speak of protecting jobs, allowing the passage of the Keystone XL pipeline. What they do not mention is that Keystone will be transporting the most toxic crap on earth, maximize environmental hazards and create a few temp jobs, while keeping in place the ties to carbon emitting fossil fuels and pollutants, further exacerbating global warming and climate change due to the activities of humankind.

All the while earth continues its downward spiral, as extreme weather events continue to take place more often, are costlier, and continue to pose clear and present danger to civilization.

This can no longer be denied by those placing profits ahead of clean air, clean water, and life on earth. We must place needs of the only world we have above that of corporate greed.

These deniers speak of jobs in the fossil fuel industry, but those with these dirty jobs work there because they are the only jobs offered. There are jobs in the renewable energy sector, as area that creates more jobs per unit of energy than fossil fuels.

“If industrial policy were brought in line with climate science, the supply of energy through wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy (geothermic and tidal power, for example) would generate huge numbers of jobs in every country – in manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, and operation.” From “This Changes Everything Capitalism vs. The Climate” by Naomi Klein

We need to build a better world and economy than one offered by the ugly, disruptive global reach of today’s capitalism, trade pacts that take away our right to determine the quality of life, of air, water, and on land.

We must end this practice of sacrificing for this endless growth of capitalism and growing inequality. Nothing is bigger, more important or more threatening than that of climate change.

Capitalism, as now practiced, must change before it is too late.

Fred Jakobcic

Marquette

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