Lawmakers deny climate change

The Idaho House of Representatives recently voted to remove key references to climate change caused by human behavior from our state’s K-12 science standards. The rationale? They want to hear “both sides of the story.”

The Earth is warming, and people are the cause. Period. There isn’t any debate about this in the scientific community. There isn’t any “other side” to this story. Even the oil and gas industry acknowledges the fact that humans are indeed causing climate change.

So why are some of our elected leaders denying this? Rep. Styme and Sen. Foreman are clearly in the five stages of climate grief. Foreman went so far as to say climate change is a liberal “scam” and “ridiculous nonsense.”

Idaho legislators must do the right thing and lead. The right thing to do is educate our agricultural communities about what will and won’t grow in Idaho in a warmer and drier future. The right thing is to learn how we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and invest and profit from clean energy alternatives. The right thing is to educate our citizens and children about climate change.

Jennifer Pierce

Boise