We all can hope for a better year in ’16

We have begun the 16th year of the third millennium, and depending on your point of view, we are no better off or worse off today than we were three days ago in 2015. The world spins, and the numbers we assign to that motion have nothing to do with the events that occur on it. Yet it is fun to consider what might happen in the 363 days of this year that remain (it is a leap year), what will not happen and what we hope to happen.
• The forces of nature are oblivious of our calendar, as proved by the previous month, the warmest here in well over a century. It is important, though, not to confuse local weather with global warming. The climate is indeed changing, and the consequences of that may be catastrophic. But that change is not measured by the air temperature in Pittsburgh; it is measured by average ocean temperatures and the loss of glaciers and sea ice, evidence of global warming that cannot be dismissed. The warming will inevitably continue, and we hope humans can find the will and the means to slow their devastating effect on the environment.
• Here is the safest New Year’s prediction we can imagine: January will be colder than December. Winter will come. There will be snow. Try not to let it get you down.
• The rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer – another no-brainer of a prediction. Almost no one in this country denies that income inequality is growing, but there is no consensus for what to do about it. And that will not change.
• The coal industry will continue to decline as the natural gas industry grows. Coal operators will continue to blame government regulations for this, but market forces are behind it: gas is cleaner and cheaper and just as abundant. An article in Wednesday’s newspaper noted that mining deaths are at record lows. As of late December, only 11 coal miners died on the job nationwide. Consider that 100 years ago, Washington and Greene counties alone could expect 150 miners to die every year in accidents. The number of coal miners in the United States has dropped to 64,700, as much of coal mining is now highly mechanized. The National Mining Association says the industry has a heightened focus on safety with a goal of zero fatalities for 2016. Let’s hope it reaches that goal.
• Without the cover of vegetation and snow, litter along our roadsides is clearly visible now, and its abundance is disgusting. Sadly, we predict that even more garbage will accumulate to damage our community’s self-esteem and reputation. We can only hope that citizens and their elected representatives in local government will find the will and energy to clear the debris and keep our roadsides clean.
• Abandoned buildings in Washington, Donora, Charleroi, McDonald, Canonsburg and so many more municipalities will continue to haunt local officeholders, who feel, at times, powerless to locate absentee owners and compel them to either improve or demolish their property. We can yearn wistfully for legal powers to be granted local government to combat this rot, but at the least we hope no ramshackle buildings collapse and kill passersby.
• We will elect a new president in 2016, obviously. Chances are very good he or she will not be the best person for the job; the best people having steered clear of politics. But we can hope that whoever is chosen has the intelligence, patience, courage, diplomacy and open mind necessary to lead the nation and strive for peace on Earth.