Pittsburgh is not Paris

President Trump is right: Pittsburgh is not Paris. Unlike my hometown, Paris doesn’t have a long history of air pollution due to industry. It is understandable that the president would pull the United States out of the Paris climate accords to protect jobs in the fossil fuel and manufacturing sectors. However, our country uses almost a quarter of the world’s energy despite being about 4 percent of the world’s population. Regardless of the current administration’s attitude, the U.S. needs to reduce our emissions to ensure a safe planet for the future.
Global warming caused by human activity is not a hoax. Average temperatures have been rising since the end of World War II and have increased dramatically since the 1980s. These changes won’t just be seen in the Arctic either. Pittsburgh will experience dirtier air and extreme weather. Pennsylvania farmers will be more likely to lose their crops, and respiratory issues will increase statewide.
Pennsylvanians need to stand with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, U.S. Sen Bob Casey, and others to adopt local or state climate legislation. Citizens must decide if polluted water and air is worth finite job creation.
Tess Lalor
Pittsburgh