A Note to President Elect Donald Trump and many Republicans on the Hill

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With the inauguration of President-Elect Trump just a few days away, I thought it fitting that I post this now. Regardless of your feelings of Donald Trump, I think many of us can agree on the fact that climate change remains an issue that undoubtedly needs attention. Thus, I don’t understand how Donald Trump can so blatantly deny such an epidemic, calling it a “Chinese hoax.” Just to prove that it remains an issue worth addressing, today the leading headline of The New York Times was “Earth Sets a Temperature Record for the Third Straight Year.” Is this coincidence? Perhaps not. And consequently, I decided to write him a letter concerning this issue. :) Of course, he will likely never read this and it will perhaps come across as a seemingly long winded tangent of venting about the fact that he’s not currently doing anything to help climate change and that makes me angry and frustrated and and and….
 
But you know what? That’s a fact I am okay with. Because when I pause and picture myself twenty-plus years down the road when the world’s climate will likely be negatively impacting westerners more drastically than it is now, and I may wonder why I didn’t do anything, at least I can tell myself that I wrote a letter to my president-elect actively voicing my concern regarding such an issue. Because in my eyes, climate change is one of the most pressing matters that we currently face. And as one of the most powerful nations in the world, I believe that it is imperative that the United States continue to increase our efforts in addressing climate change.
 
So, please, read on Mr. Trump (along with anyone who has the time and cares to read why I believe climate change is an issue worth addressing). 

A Note to President Elect Donald Trump and many Republicans on the Hill
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Climate Change is real.
It’s real.
And most scarily, it is happening ever so rapidly and assuredly.
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 Mr. Trump ~
Why do you deny the existence of global warming? Why do you doubt this catastrophic event that is taking place? Why are you not taking an active role to do at least something to try and prevent it? Additionally, why do you not believe the nearly 99% of scientists who support and claim that we need to actively do something now to slow and stop CO2 emissions from clogging our atmosphere? They have been saying this for years; have you seen the studies done? Take your phone out right now and google “climate change data” and you will see the many graphs and charts that explicitly show the trend that is exponentially happening. What do you doubt about it? Why are you not doing anything to help our environments? More specifically, why are you against this truth, and instead are intentionally doing nothing to help the future condition of our beautiful world? Mr. Trump, senators, I care about this planet. And I know you do too. So for once (and perhaps even more than once) can you put aside thoughts of yourself, your money, and about pleasing certain individuals and organizations, and focus instead solely on the future condition of earth. I urge you to again look at the current trends and where they’re continuing to head. Perhaps you can watch An Inconvenient Truth if you have not already (yes, it is on Netflix).

This planet is a beautiful place. And we only get one. I want to take my future children, my future grandchildren, to places such as Glacier National Park – one of my favorite places on Earth – a place that I have had the opportunity to spend the last two summers exploring. However, right now, with the way climate is headed, perhaps Glacier and many other natural majestic masterpieces of Earth will be changed and altered forever… and not for the better. Right now there is thriving wild life, rushing rivers, flowing waterfalls, lush green forests, life covering thousands of square miles across the globe… yet, will this forever be the case?
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On a related note, tying this ecological crisis to my faith, I do believe there is a God who is in control and has a plan for when the end times will be. However, He put humans in charge of caring for this planet and all that this world has living in it (Genesis 2:15). I appreciate what Pope Francis has to say about humans’ role in the world.
 
“When we talk about the environment, about creation, my thoughts turn to the first pages of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, which states that God placed man and woman on earth to cultivate and care for it. And the question comes to my mind: What does cultivate and caring for the earth mean? Are we truly cultivating and caring for creation? Or are we exploiting and neglecting it?”
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President Elect Trump – I am concerned, not only for the reasons why many people are about you, but because you have outright denied that climate change is an issue and have appointed Scott Pruitt – a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda- as the transition leader of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). America needs to be a leader in this movement of changing attitudes and must take an increasingly active role in educating and implementing acts and resources in regard to climate change. We need to take an active role – by pouring our money and resources into such an issue. Yes, I realize that this is not yours nor many other’s #1 concern; however, why can’t it be of equal concern? I realize that there are many, many other issues making headlines and therefore are at the forefront of our attention currently, but that does not mean that the issue of climate change is to be dismissed. I strongly believe that it is of equal importance and feel that you should too.  
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I care about this planet. I love this world; I know there is an unquantifiable amount of pain and agonistic events that occur in nearly every crevice and corner of every country, city, and home across all of earth… but, there’s beauty too. An absolutely incredible depth of beauty that is intermittently scattered across the most random but perfect of places throughout this world. This beauty and goodness is what I choose to focus on and is why I want to save – yes, save – our beautiful earth. We do not have a choice; there is no option or question regarding if we will do something, or if it is actually happening. The only question that remains pertinent is when will each of us finally take a more active role? We can’t point fingers; each of us is responsible for what is happening. And each of us must be on board in believing that it is an issue that requires action from every one of us. 
 
That is all for now. Thank you for reading. And good luck with the inauguration tomorrow. :)
 
-          Reyna