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It’s one thing for people to agree that climate change is a catastrophic event that requires mitigation. But it’s quite another for them to agree on how mitigation should look, especially if it involves letting the conveniences of modern living that are more carbon-intensive. This dissonance was evident in letters this week regarding the ban on natural gas hookups in new constructions and alarming new research about sea level rise.
Response to The Times article about a report Predictions for a century of sea level rise over the next 30 yearsMany readers demanded that urgent action be taken to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most popular policies was a carbon fee, which would allow prices to reflect the global warming costs. The Times Editorial Board however, did not take this into consideration.Los Angeles was encouragedTo combat warming, require that new buildings be non-gas-emitting. However, most readers didn’t like the idea and cited the state’s already overburdened electricity grid and increased costs to consumers.
Most letter writers don’t dispute that global warming is a problem. But when it comes to charting out the details of California’s path to a carbon-neutral future — gas cars versus electric cars, whether nuclear energy is “green” and, yes, gas appliances versus electric ones — there’s some disagreement about which turns to take.
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To the editor: Megadrought, major sea level rise, devastating fires, biblical floods, disintegrating ice sheets, thawing permafrost, unstable Asian monsoons, ocean acidification, destruction of the Amazon and coral reefs — these are all staring us in the face, and still we barely flinch.
Climate change is only beginning. Normal climate changes, which used to take many thousands of year, are now happening in a matter a few decades. The atmospheric balance that we have enjoyed for over 10,000 years was upset when we began burning millions of years worth of fossil fuels, adding more carbon dioxide at an ever faster rate.
Increasing carbon causes an increase in Earth’s temperature which leads to an increase in the amount of water in our atmosphere. Water is a feedback greenhouse that increases the effects of carbon dioxide. This combination threatens irreversible tipping points, which will eliminate all human control over our future.
40 years ago was the best time to quit using fossil fuels. The second-best time to stop using fossil fuels is now.
Phil Beauchamp, Chino Hills
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To the editor:This article should serve to be another reminder that climate change must be addressed immediately.
To reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the best policy is to place a price on carbon. This policy applies to all carbon fuels, not just motor cars.
Larry Kramer, San Juan Capistrano
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To the editor:Your editorial on switching buildings to electricity from natural gas is missing several important points.
Natural gas is not affected by outages while electricity is. Californians have suffered multiple days of power outages as a precaution against wildfires. All electric homes will not be able to heat, boil water or cook during outages.
Los Angeles is home to electricity that is significantly more expensive than natural gas. This would result in higher utility bills, which would adversely affect those with low incomes.
Induction cooktops, which are powered by electricity, can only be used with pots and pans that are induction-capable. Most people will have to buy new pots and pans if they want to switch from natural gas to electric.
Ellen Nadel, Los Angeles
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To the editor:Although your editorial is positive and supports the proposed change to building codes to ban gas hookups, it ignores the important code changes implicit in your statement “To avert catastrophic climate change and protect people’s health.” [gas appliances]”Should be replaced by electric models powered with renewable energy.”
California’s recent building boom has been a success without the need for rain barrels, solar panels or native plantings. We would be able to support all-electric buildings if all these new buildings had solar panels.
Next, we need to have enough battery capacity so that solar home owners can continue cooking with electricity even if the grid goes down.
It is time to overhaul California’s building codes. California’s climate is ideal for renewable energy and not for household appliances.
Christine L. Borgman, Los Angeles
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To the editor:Let me make this right.
Southern California is not equipped with enough power to keep the lights on during a heatwave. However, the editorial board encourages everyone to install heat pumps and replace gas appliances.
Brilliant. These gas stoves allowed anyone, regardless of economic stability, to cook a meal even during blackouts.
I understand the environmental effects of natural gas. I also understand how electricity is created. Let’s just turn it off, light some candles, then plant a garden.
Oh, wait, there is no water.
Clark Woodford in Palm Springs
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To the editor:I doubled over in laughter. I wondered where all the electricity is going to come from.
Poor and inefficient electricity grids already cause so many blackouts. We can live in darkness and excessive heat and still be able to cook.
It is a life worth living.
Peter David Harris, Los Angeles
This story first appeared in Los Angeles Times.
