Courtesy Lanl.gov
Elements, Feb. 20: “Environment News”
Why not act?
I'm 12 years old. I am concerned about my future. I am being handed the heavy burden of climate change. In New Mexico, most major climate bills are currently stalled. Why? I have been speaking in support of climate bills on zoom this legislative session. Fossil fuel emissions are causing climate change: Every country, every state, every city, every town needs to take action to draw down emissions.
I see that some of our New Mexico representatives don't seem to understand that climate change is happening now. I was given 30 seconds to speak in support of the Climate Solutions Act, HB 9. I listened to Republican representative Nibert stall for two hours, asking repetitive questions. Now, I am sitting here 10 days later and there is still no committee vote on the Climate Solutions Act that will actually draw down New Mexico emissions.
Politicians say it's too expensive to fix climate change now. How many billions of dollars do you think it's going to take when there are major food shortages and rising sea levels? It is far less expensive to act now.
We only have a short time left to get these climate bills passed this session. What are we going to do? Sit around and let New Mexico fall into more severe drought, frequent forest fires, and have only a dry riverbed for a Rio Grande?
I know you love your sons and daughters, your grandsons, and granddaughters. If you love them, why would you ruin their future? This is about New Mexico children. Pass climate bills this session.
Alex Hanna
Albuquerque
7 Days, March 3: Oversimplification
SFR's Seven Days reported "LA CIENEGA RESIDENTS APPARENTLY DON'T WANT A CELL TOWER – Because who wants to reach the fire department easily?" This La Cienega resident respectfully requests that SFR editors rethink their oversimplification of a complex community issue. In the process of approving the tower, which will exceed our community's height restrictions by 35 feet, the State Land Commission skirted multiple county planning and zoning ordinances alongside restrictions set forth in the La Cienega Community Plan. A legitimate opportunity to solicit and incorporate community input wasn't provided. Emergency access matters to us as residents, but so do due process, resident representation, and our tight-knit community's integrity. Nefarious activity from corporations like AT&T shouldn't surprise us, but our state leaders' clandestine regulation-skirting is legitimate cause for alarm.
Kate McCahill
La Cienega
CORRECTION
A caption in last week's cover story named the wrong store near which new apartments are being built on Richards Avenue; the correct store is Home Depot.
