Advice for President Obama on Climate Change

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions, that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, Mr. President.

Make the statements we need on climate change!

Max has watched the political posturing on climate now since the 1960s. Most people may not realize that climate change has a long history in this country. The Clean Water Act may have been one of the first measures to attack the problem.

Today that act looks like a drop in the bucket, yet at the time, it was considered cutting edge. Senator Muskie was one of the key proponents of the act. It started out by identifying the most polluted waterways in the country. Funds were then allocated toward mitigating the environmental damage.

The precursors of climate change could be seen only on a smaller scale. In Maine, the Penobscot River, which flows from the mountains through Bangor and on to Brunswick, was designated one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country.

The electric power companies fought the bill's passage tooth and nail. They did not want to give up the inexpensive water that ran their generators. They argued that the river was fine as is. They offered, as a last resort, to build fish ladders to allow migrating fish to swim up the river.

They lost the fight and the Penobscot River recovered. Salmon returned to the river for the first time in at least a century.

The businesses that fought against repairing a single river are nothing compared to the multitude of interests that will deny climate change is their problem until their dying breaths.

The timber companies survived and the cities still have electricity. The water is cleaner and the fish population greater. There are still plenty of environmental problems up there but at least one is resolved.

You need to lead the charge, nearly fifty years after passage of the Clean Water Act, for a sustainable climate.

With water pollution, the dangers were illnesses of people living near the water, using the fresh water and eating fish caught in the water.

Climate change is a multi-pronged issue. Sea water is already rising. Fresh water used for drinking in coastal areas is already getting infiltration from salt water. The air around the planet contains a smaller amount of free oxygen needed to sustain all life. The air contains more contaminants, which is associated with rising rates of asthma.

The problem is with us now and will be for far beyond my life time and yours. What you do about this today needs to be done in a way that can be sustained for at least a century or longer if possible.

It is no small matter to speak out on climate change and what we need to do to reduce the impacts. The world is divided into about 200 major political units and perhaps another 100 ad hoc (rebellions/lawless zones) units.

If you do not find a path to lead or a leader to follow, the very future of our children will hang in the balance.

Max wishes you the best of results in this fight.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is Nature Conservancy on climate change.

Link two is Pew Research on climate change.

Link three is the Conservative position there is no climate change.