Letter: We must support the environment

When I moved here two years ago, I was heartened to see substantial backing in the community to maintain a pristine environment. I gathered that the average person from the area and representatives from both sides of the aisle wanted to protect the health of our ocean, waterways, marine life and beach resources.

But my heart has sunk recently as this hasn’t seemed to translate into local broader environmental support during the beginning of the new presidential administration.

Are people upset with cabinet picks with strong ties to fossil fuels (Rex Tillerson, Rick Perry, Scott Pruitt)? Pruitt recently falsely said carbon dioxide was not a primary contributor to global warming.

Is it OK that the EPA, NASA, NIH, USDA, and the parks system were ordered to cease communications with the public, subjected to a hiring and grants/contracts freeze, and have been earmarked for budget cuts? And while 97 percent of climate scientists agree that man-made climate change is a reality, it’s not considered polite conversation here? But, climate change is truly the long-term issue of our day. I’ve become more concerned with rising sea levels since living in the Lowcountry.

Trump’s anti-truth statements and actions feed policies that are anti-science. Local ecosystems and pocketbooks can get hurt with bad national policy; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Hopefully, “conserving” can come back to conservatism and our love of the local ecology and desire to kept it pristine can translate into positive action. I am holding on to hope.

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Letter: We must support the environment."