Clyde Burnett, Peak to Peak. We are beginning to see a few more remarks of climate change in the news.

The Youth and Educator Climate Advocacy Summit at the U.S. Capitol on March 28, 2019 was reported by American Geophysical Union, but I’ve missed it in any other news. Cofounder Guthrie from California said, “Congress has known about the harm from climate change for decades but has chosen not to act. The 116th Congress can break the pattern of neglect.”

Moderator Senator Whitehouse commented, “Climate Change is a generator betrayal and youths are on the losing end of betrayal,” and, “We are enjoying a carbon polluting economy whose costs are going to come for you and going to come for your children and going to come for their children.”

In Denver, we have an Earth Day program at 7 p.m., April 22, 2019, to be moderated by Channel 7 chief meteorologist Mike Nelson. Information at https://www.dmns.org/visit/events-andactivities?e=Climate%20Change:%20Science%20and%20Solutions.

In Al Gore’s interview on the Weather Channel, he identified Mother Nature’s extreme weather as the reason that the recognition of climate change increased to 70 percent. But the talks with flooded farmers seemed to indicate that they had no idea why they were in trouble. Or were they not asked that question? It is always these vulnerable people who suffer.

These episodes of extreme weather are going to continue even if we immediately correct our economic policies. At best, we can adapt to floods and forest fires, and perhaps begin to mitigate a return to a benign climate of Hansen’s 350 ppm CO2 by a more appropriate forest management. I wonder at just what age lodgepoles can best sequester carbon.

(Originally published in the April 18, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)