Dear Editor:
It is becoming more clear by the month that what is good for the environment has benefits for many other aspects of humanity.
Health care professionals are voicing the medical position that fossil fuels are detrimental to the length and health of a human life, and religion has even entered the environmental arena as an ally.
Now standards are being raised by the Clean Power Plan as shown in the article elaborating on the stats’ role in Obama’s new initiative (www.theheraldtimes.com/opinion-western-states-wrestling-with-obamas-clean-power-plan/rio-blanco-county/).
Environmental protectionism is gaining momentum at the right moment.
How America sets itself up for the upcoming Paris climate talks will likely determine whether the nations of the world will be proactive or reactive to the climate change challenges that lie ahead.
One factor that should be paid particular attention is the Clean Power Plan. This plan aims to reduce the amount of CO2 the United States is generating by more than the amount that Germany produces in a year.
Germany is the sixth-largest producer of CO2, so having the U.S. eliminate that level of pollution will be an accomplishment we can be proud of.
The passage of the CPP may just be the keystone upon which our environmental efforts’ success depends. Fortunately, as the recent success with the new EPA heavy truck standards has shown us, environmental protection and economic success are not antithetical to each other. In fact, the benefits of one can often support the progress of another aspect of humanity.
Kelley Schweissing
Grand Junction
