A Hyde Park neighbor added an extension to their back yard recently. I noticed that the roof was only one pitch facing south as I passed it. I wondered if they had solar panels. Sure enough, the roof was covered with electricity-producing photovoltaic panels.
My brother in Western Australia recently added solar panels on his roof. He can now run air conditioning free of charge during summer. He said that it is now a standard for all new houses in his area to have solar panels. The state government offered financial incentives.
One way we can avoid the slow-moving catastrophe we are locking ourselves into is through solar electricity. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, temperatures could rise above a critical point if we don’t reduce carbon emissions by 43% by 2030. We must speed up the transition to make the planet more livable for future generations.
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Chicago recently required that fossil fuels be phased out. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which was passed at the state level, quadruples Illinois’ solar and wind power over the next ten years. It increases the Solar For All program’s annual funding from $10 million to $50 millions per year in order to ensure that solar energy benefits reach low-income communities. It also commits up to $80million per year to support transportation electrification with the goal of 1 million electric cars on the roads of Illinois by 2030.
Individuals can make a positive difference. While government must set policy and invest in new solutions to solve problems, they can also make a difference. Instead of flying to another country or state, take a train or bike through a new neighborhood. Use a fan to cool down instead of an air conditioner. Increase your intake of plant protein in place of meat. Reduce the time you spend in hot showers by one minute. Purchase an electric stove or car.
Ask your children to tell you what climate action your family or you can take. They likely know and care about climate change because it is their future.
Don Wedd Hyde Park
Russia’s disregard for human life
Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, claims that footage of Bucha bodies was staged. Pictures and videos show the complete destruction of apartments and homes. It cannot be staged.
Russia destroyed these structures because they were home to civilian families. Russia began war without regard for human lives. Vladimir Putin and his troops are simply murderers.
Edwina Jackson, Longwood Manor