TO THE EDITOR:
The Environmental Protection Agency has long reported the dangerous consequences of the global greenhouse effect; it has pointed to carbon emissions from coal, oil and natural gas as the primary contributors. Carbon dioxide emissions account for 80.9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
To become a fossil fuel-free nation, the Brookings Institute estimates the cost to the U.S. as hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century.
Although President Obama is leading an initiative to address global and domestic climate change, most agree it is too little too late. Congress must declare war on carbon. And where would money come from to pay for this war?
Assess the current fiscal budget. Begin with the military on two fronts: the military is the top consumer of fossil fuels and traditionally receives around 600 billion dollars annually. A nation with a military multiple times mightier than any other nation on Earth could reduce its size and remain indomitable.
The clear and present danger facing America today is carbon usage. It is rapidly destroying America, yet our government is ignoring the inevitable.
Bernie Stewart
Durham
