Thunberg deserves more credit for her climate knowledge
By Letter to the Editor on October 25, 2019.
It may well be true that Greta Thunberg doesn’t understand the petroleum industry in Alberta but it is certainly as probable that those opposed to her actions and beliefs don’t understand the realities and dangers of climate change and environmental problems well as she does. Having a degree in biology as claimed by one of our quoted leaders does not make one a climatologist or even necessarily knowledgeable about the environment. Thinking that carbon dioxide does not affect climate change and the environment goes against the science and fits better into the climate change denial camp although most politicians don’t want to be seen there. There is also the matter of ageism at play here. Adults don’t put much stock into or listen much to what young people have to say and too often are not concerned about it. The young lady’s age is oft-quoted and no doubt comes into the discussion, all to often for negative reasons. Who more than a 16-year-old has a right to be concerned about the future of the environment and the planet. In this day and age, it is very conceivable for a mid-teen to be as knowledgeable, as well or even better versed in climate matters than many adults. Thunberg might need to better understand the specific situation in Alberta but many more people need to understand, to be concerned about, and to be aware of the problems of climate change and the environment. So many of those who are prepared to do nothing today won’t be around to see the results of inaction which won’t provide much of a legacy or be fair to the young. Someone needs to speak about it since as she says, too many adults and leaders aren’t. Jerry Smith Medicine Hat 8-7
Watching these seniors hurl their sarcastic comments at her for being a lot smarter than them has been sickening. My oldest grandsons are very concerned about what these seniors have created for their future and why shouldn’t they be? There is really no future for them in Alberta, and Jason Kenney is making it worse. Oilmen have been telling us for years that massive lawsuits are coming because of the lies Albertans are being feed and it looks like it has begun, according to the news today the Alberta oilsands are being named in a major fraud lawsuit against Exxon in the U.S. What will this do to our revenue?
The fallacy here is that you seem to think that anyone whom does not share your view is either a climate denier or uniformed. Climate change exists of course. Always has, always will. Humans just are not the main cause of this change. It is a natural cycle.
Why are people suspicious of the views of young people? Could it be their lack of experience? Could it be that most of the information that they acquire is from the internet? We know everything on the internet is true, right?
I don’t dismiss the young peoples concerns about the climate or anything else. But what they need is accurate information from reputable sources. Not from uniformed politicians that claim the world will end in 12 years or from people that enjoy fear mongering.
There is no doubt that Greta Thunberg has the worlds attention and to a damn good cause. What Greta Thunberg has not concerned herself with is the impact oil & gas has on Alberta and “all” Canadians. Just look at the hundreds of homes that went up for sale as soon as the downturn in the economy several years ago.
Climate change is very important and should have been taken more seriously 25 years ago, it wasn’t and now here we are. You can not just shut down oil & gas and say, we save the planet. Those most effected by losing those homes, jobs, livelihood need something to fill the void.
We can’t heat our homes on goodwill or that magic pixie dust that those British Colombians have. This is the single biggest flaw in Greta Thunberg’s argument, she want climate change addressed but she has nothing to offer beyond that and that’s where her total inexperience shines through. It’s easy to claim something is bad for you, much more difficult to have a healthy replacement.
I agree with both of you, and certainly agree that this young girl is naive about a lot of things but she certainly doesn’t deserve to have these idiotic comments hurled at her by my fellow seniors that I’ve been hearing and reading in the newspapers, and I think you would agree. It’s no different than the comments made about the Carbon Taxes that we have heard. If it’s such a disaster why has it worked so well in other countries and hasn’t financially destroyed anyone, yet that’s the lie Albertans., and Canadians are being fed by these Reformers? Of course they are using it as a means to get elected and it works, but shouldn’t. It is becoming more obvious that the pollution problem in our oil fields is a lot worse than what we have been told over the years and lawsuits are pending and you have to be concerned what they will do to us, and our children, you can’t ignore it like these Reformers are doing.