Lean on the community for hope
I can’t accept much of the pessimistic environmental news that seems to permeate our world today. Spend too much time reading or watching and the next thing I know I’m sent into the spiral of not doing enough, of not trying hard enough. Why should I hope that things will get better?
While taking an environmental science course, I had the opportunity to look at climate change from a perspective of hope and possibility. But I still didn’t understand; Why hope?
I have nowhere else to go, the negativity is consuming me. We are doomed, the Earth is doomed. Why not listen to hope, despair doesn’t seem to solve the problem.
Question your beliefs. Connect with nature. Support yourself and others. Do what you can. Take collective action.
Hope is emerging, but I still worry about the future. What if all this is not enough?
Keep going and try harder, even when it’s uncomfortable. These feelings will not go away, but your actions will show your true intention.
Lean on others; It may not seem like it, but they understand. Build the community you are looking for.
I know I will continue to worry, but with the support I feel, I now have hope.
For more information and to see the power of community support in action, come to our 3Dots workshop on Sunday, April 28th from 2pm to 5pm! RSVP: tinyurl.com/ourstoriesclimate
Maggie Penner, State College
Hotel prices are shameful
“Greed robs us of the ability to appreciate the simple joys in life.”
Simply put, it is shameful that a family has to spend thousands of dollars to celebrate the wonderful achievement of their son’s graduation from Penn State…after having already spent many thousands of dollars to get them through school.
I understand the principles of supply and demand, but I have a problem when hotels charge three times as much for a given room, but in themselves ten times as much.
Let’s go! How do you dare?
PJ Davidson, Central Hall
Solution to “political chaos”
This year set a world record for the most people living in countries that hold national elections (more than 4 billion).
That’s more than half of humanity. Our own elections in 2018 and 2022 broke all voter turnout records.
But we are beginning to feel that voting in elections is no guarantee of democracy.
There seems to be no compromise. Presidential candidate Trump tells us: “Only I can solve this.” He seems to intend to be president for life if he is elected… and then, there will be no more elections? Can we trust our political parties to help us resolve the electoral chaos? Or are political parties the problem?
Our government started without political parties. Our Constitution intentionally does not mention political parties. There was great concern that party loyalties might become stronger than institutional loyalties. But we have seen that a two-party political system can lead to an area of “centrism,” where the two political parties can find some common ground that appeals to voters. The result is political stability and economic growth.
But Trump is not planning any compromises. Instead, he plans to empower the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 (climate deniers), the Heartland Institute and his old friend, Steve Bannon, to reshape our government and make “giving back” the central theme of his campaign. This is not compromise, it is dictatorship.
We need to convince the 40% of voters, who say they are independent, to learn as much as possible about our political chaos, to study the issues and to vote.
Carl Evensen, State College
Thompson’s actions do not support farmers
Representative Glenn Thompson (Pennsylvania District 15) says its goal is to support Pennsylvania farmers. Who is he kidding?
According to the National Environmental Scorecard, Thompson’s overall score for 2023 was 3% and his lifetime score was 6%! He has worked to repeal actions on climate and environmental justice, to roll back clean water safeguards, and to undermine progress on conservation and climate.
This has huge consequences for Pennsylvania’s economy. Pennsylvania has 52,000 farms and 7.3 million acres of farmland, producing $83.8 billion in direct economic output. Climate change will drastically reduce agricultural yields by altering crop growing seasons, increasing heat stress for livestock and increasing flooding and stormwater runoff, according to the 2018 Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan.
Too much rain can reduce crop yields by up to 40%. Lack of freezing in the winter leads to problems with soil and livestock. Rising temperatures affect cows’ milk production and lambing times, require lambs to be shorn more frequently and increase the risk of parasites in hoofed animals.
To add to the damage, Thompson proudly supports “energy-related bills” that harm our land and water. He supported repealing the greenhouse gas reduction fund within the EPA, preventing “unelected bureaucrats from imposing their climate agenda on the American people.” Why would Thompson want to crush the efforts of citizens working to protect our land and water – and preserve our farms and agricultural economy?
How exactly is Representative Thompson supporting our farmers? How exactly is he supporting Pennsylvanians?
Marie Hornbein, Spring Mills
