Hits and Misses
MISS: The toll exacted by the coronavirus is sufficient to make most of us feel a sense of existential dread, but a study released last week outlining the devastating impact climate change could have on humanity a half-century hence should be the icing on the cake. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, forecasts that by 2070 one-third of humanity could be living in areas as hot as the Sahara, rendering food production impossible and sparking migration to less scorching climes. The study foresees the climate changing more over the next five decades than it has over the last 6,000 years. Though the country’s current leadership is averse to global cooperation, they will not be in power forever. One hopes that when younger generations have their moment at the helm, they will work with other nations to accelerate cuts in carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy.
MISS: Protesters who believe state economies should be reopened regardless of the coronavirus have made governors like Pennsylvania’s Tom Wolf and Ohio’s Mike DeWine the object of their ire, but special rage seems to have been reserved for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Amy Acton, the director of Ohio’s department of health. The anger at Acton manifested itself in protesters pacing outside Acton’s Bexley, Ohio, home over the weekend, some visibly armed with weapons. Clearly, they were showing off firearms so they could intimidate Acton and other officials. This is absolutely shameful. We don’t live in a banana republic. Whitmer, Acton, Wolf, DeWine, and other officials are doing what they feel is necessary to save lives. Voters can agree or disagree, but Acton and others shouldn’t be confronted with the implied threat of violence.
HIT: Whether it’s a need to ease loneliness or a desire for some novelty to break up the monotony of confinement, the number of requests to adopt pets at local agencies has rocketed skyward. According to a story that appeared in the Observer-Reporter this week, the Bridge to Home Animal Rescue in Eighty Four received 61 applications in just one hour for a puppy. The worrying flip-side of this clamor to adopt dogs and cats is that their new owners will lose interest once the coronavirus lockdowns end, or their owners will find they lack the wherewithal to care for the animal over the long haul. Pet owners need to understand, whether now or at any other time, that caring for a pet is a long-term commitment. We hope the same agencies that are releasing dogs and cats now don’t see them back in a couple of months.
HIT: A story in this week’s Observer-Reporter led off with the following declaration: “Census data translates into power. Population statistics factor into hundreds of billions in federal allotments to state and local governments every year.” For that reason, it’s good to know that Washington County residents have been diligent about responding to this year’s census. The response rate in the county has reached 57%, topping the Pennsylvania rate of 56.2% and the national rate of 54.6%. If residents are struggling for a way to fill their hours during the coronavirus lockdown, filling out your census form would be a good way to spend that time, and it won’t take much of it.