Letter to the editor: We need a Marshall Plan for our planet

Since the 1970s, Big Oil has known of the dangers of burning fossil fuels. They, like the tobacco industry before them, lied to the American public. Oil companies, with the Cato Institute, the American Petroleum Institute and the Koch family, spent money and influence to convince Congress and the public that man-made climate change is a hoax. For decades, they stopped progress on conversion to green energy just so they could continue making money, disregarding the danger to our health and that of the planet.

Unfortunately, rather than listening to the scientists who were sounding an alarm about climate change, too many of us choose to listen to Big Oil’s propaganda. Precious decades were lost. Now, here we are in the midst of record droughts, flooding, mudslides, oceans rising, water shortages, Arctic warming, soil erosion, farmers unable to grow their crops and extreme weather all around. And Big Oil is still lying to us.

A better choice is available. We can choose to listen to science and to believe our own eyes. We can choose to mobilize to ensure a livable planet for our children. Ask our federal and state government to aggressively move toward green energy. Let’s have discussions on how we change our culture: how and where we live, travel, shop or eat to develop and promote a sustainable, livable planet. Let’s ask Washington for a Marshall Plan for our planet.

Patricia Oliver

North Huntingdon