To the editor: Walking out of Union Station in Los Angeles in 1958, my eyes were immediately assailed by a burning sensation. I had just traveled from New York, where I had arrived after living in western Australia for seven years, and where the skies were beautiful. I asked the person who picked us up why my eyes were hurting; she pointed to the gray sky and said, “It’s smog.”
Today, thanks to diligent efforts to combat greenhouse gases, we are mostly treated to clear skies and brilliant sunsets. Now along comes President Trump, who decides to reject key scientific climate change findings and turn the Environmental Protection Agency into the Environmental Destruction Agency (“Rejecting science, Trump reverses conclusion that climate change is harming Americans,” Feb. 12).
If we want to go back to having breathing difficulties and constant warnings to stay indoors due to heavy smog, we should laud this change, I suppose. Presumably, being able to buy cheaper vehicles and rejuvenating the coal industry should be worth it, one could reason. But it is not worth it for the children becoming exposed to unbreathable air and suffering lung ailments as a result. Let us hope it isn’t too late to undo the damage this administration is inflicting on them.
Anneke Mendiola, Santa Ana
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To the editor: Although this article notes Chamber of Commerce industry support, my money is betting on the industry doing nothing, at least in the short term. It’ll cost a fortune for industry to retool, i.e. removing cars’ catalytic converters, changing out refinery operations (summer/winter gas blends), etc. When the Democrats take over the House in the midterms, this ridiculous scheme will be withdrawn and we’ll return to some semblance of normalcy.
Steve Baldel, Corona
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To the editor: Fans of the HBO series “Chernobyl” may recall the scene in which a nuclear physicist attempts to warn a regional governor of the danger posed by Chernobyl’s radiation. The governor doesn’t feel there is danger. When it’s pointed out that the governor previously managed a shoe factory, and the person delivering the warning is a nuclear physicist, he responds that it’s true he ran a shoe factory — but now he’s in charge.
It’s equally inexplicable that our current collection of “shoe people” in the federal government chooses to ignore scientists who have expertise, and ignores the lessons learned from water-based pollution. Current annual dumping of billions of tons of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases into our atmosphere is evocative of past dumping of toxic waste from factories, mines and other industrial processes into our waterways.
We eventually realized water pollution had serious and definable negative economic and health consequences and have generally desisted. When will we ever learn?
Darrel Miller, Santa Monica
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To the editor: Trump anticipates high praise for elevating the economy with money saved by scrapping programs aimed at producing cleaner energy. After all, the impact of an improved economy can be seen in a matter of months, and Trump will be all over taking full credit for it.
The impact of deteriorating environments is measured over longer periods of time. If lifespans decline in the next 20 years due to increases in conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, Trump is unlikely to still be around and have to hear that he was not the greatest leader this nation has ever had.
Ken Hense, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Federal emissions regulations, developed after decades of research by intelligent and highly educated scientists, can be erased by the stroke of a pen of a far less educated individual in favor of the mighty dollar. What is it about world health that is less important?
Gail Garcia, Baldwin Vista
