Letter to the editor: Denial won't stop climate change destruction

The writer of the letter, “Climate change hysteria destroying economy” (July 25, TribLIVE), is a master of irony. Could it be that he is blissfully unaware of the already destructive events in this nation and the world due to climate change caused by human actions?

Record high temperatures in the U.S. while much of Europe has reached temperatures few are prepared for. A massive drought in the Southwest. The highest rate of massive flooding ever in the nation occurring in the last decade.

The negative effects of these climate changes already are hurting the economy.

While there are many other reasons for food inflation, the price of food from the Southwest and Florida as well as our grain-producing regions was rising before other factors recently kicked in. Climate change denial is hurting consumers every day.

A second source of irony is the implication that “wealthy elites” rather than scientists are the main source of information about the damaging effects of climate change, while it has been wealthy elites, including the Koch brothers and the ultra-wealthy leaders of fossil-fuel corporations, who have put well over a billion dollars into climate denial campaigns. The negative effects of climate change are now so clear that a strong majority of Americans have stopped accepting fossil-fuel industry propaganda.

It’s not too late to take meaningful action, but denial of reality is not action.

Robert J. Reiland

O’Hara