I am so dismayed to read the recent "Letters to the Editor" regarding the mayor's letter to the oil and gas companies.
Climate change is real and instead of being scared out of their minds about the current state of the planet, (the fossil-fuel industry) vilifies environmentalists and "tree huggers."
Many times, these naysayers are the ones that profit the most from the destruction of the Earth's crust and vegetative layer. It doesn't take a genius to see that things are almost beyond repair unless we take drastic measures.
Total system collapses are occurring in every single ecosystem across the globe, from northern boreal forests to the great Amazon, yet everyone still wants their piece of the pie. But the pie is our planet and not meant to be cut up purely for human usage or profit.
What is hypocritical is that these critics bully the mayor for making a living supplying (bus) transportation. And for those of you who think all of us horrible greenies should either move to a cave and cook our buffalo over a fire-pit or shut up, well, I'm sorry but we ain't going anywhere and we ain't going to shut up, because without us, what then of our poor planet?
I congratulate the mayor and team, and fellow B.C. municipalities, for calling out oil and gas producers. Good on them.
Isn't this the same as suing cigarette companies and Monsanto for Round-Up?
The oil and gas companies have no incentive to shift towards a less-polluting business model if they can continue to profit without paying a share of the costs of said pollution.
The trillion-dollar fossil-fuel industry has the knowledge to implement a shift towards alternatives, but unless they are held accountable, there is no impetus towards change.
Sarah Valentine
Whistler
