Nearly 90 percent of Ohio’s Electricity is generated by burning coal. The result: Ohio is the nations’ fourth leading emitter of carbon dioxide, the primary global warming pollutant. This makes Ohio a bigger contributor to global warming than 98 other countries.
Environment Ohio asked it's members to tell us their personal story about why it is important for Governor Strickland and Ohio's other leaders to take action and reduce Ohio's global warming pollution. Almost 100 of you took the time to write a comment. Read on to hear what your concerned colleagues across the state had to say to Governor Strickland.
Dear Governor Strickland,
We live just west of Urbana, OH. The night of July 12th our locale received 4" of rain in an hour, with very serious local flooding. We can expect this kind of rainfall, previously quite rare, to be more the norm. Even though our home is not in a floodplain, we have tens of thousands of dollars of property loss, without the county being declared a disaster. The severe weather that scientists have been predicting for years is now upon us. Act now to reduce carbon dioxide emissions! James Hansen, one of the world's premier scientists, has identified 350 ppm of carbon dioxide as the threshold we must not exceed, yet our current level is 387. As our elected official I ask you to be bold in taking leadership on this issue!
- Urbana, OH 43078
I have 23 nieces and nephews (plus 5 spouses) and 8 great nieces and nephews.
There's no better reason to act on reducing global warming than that!
- Baltimore, OH 43105
I'm an independent contractor, and my work takes me all over the state. It also requires me to be outside for 4-5 hours a day. Thunderstorms, heavy storms, and floods, therefore, are all serious impediments to my work. I've been doing this job for seven years. Now, there's always a few days in the summer season when bad weather keeps me at home for the day, counting my lost dollars. But in the last three years, there has been a marked increase in those days. Flooding in Findlay stops my trips north dead in their tracks two or three times a year minimum. Thunderstorms have sent me home half a dozen times in the last two months. It's costing me personally thousands of dollars, and costing my company tens of thousands. The changes occuring in our climate are bad for business, bad for commerce, bad for infrastructure, bad for Ohioans. I don't care what the hydrocarbon lobby says, the only way to keep growing economically in this state, and in the rest of the world, is to transition to sustainable energy as quickly as humanly possible.
- Columbus, OH 43202
I care about global warming because I want everyone, and especially future generations, to have enough food to eat and water to drink. The longer it takes before we take steps to reduce global warming pollution, the worse droughts and flooding will get, causing food and water shortages. Also, the polar ice caps are melting! I want the polar bears to survive! We must take action now!
- South Euclid, OH 44121
The impact of fossil fuels on the environment cannot be disputed. What is in question though, is who will become a leader, locally, nationally and internationally, to turn our energy production and consumption into a synergistic relationship that will stop the deterioration of our environment, and allow the earth to heal itself and flourish.
I believe Ohio can and should become one of these leaders. We MUST set an example to the rest of the country by eliminating our reliance on coal and minimizing our consumption of oil, if not weaning ourselves from it all together.
I support Environment Ohio and its efforts, and strongly urge you to take a leadership role in changing our arrogant use of energy, in both it's reckless consumption, and irresponsible production.
Sincerly, with support for all you can do in helping support the development of clean and sustainable energy.
-Columbus, OH 43202
Global warming and the health of the environment is an important issue for me because I want to have children and grandchildren some day. It is important to remember that we do not own the world, but we are trustees holding onto it for future generations. This planet is our only home, and we must live on it without destroying it for the next millennia.
I hope to live long enough to be able to tell my great-grandchildren how my great-grandmother lived on the prairie in a sod hut on the American frontier. I hope when I am a great-grandmother there is something left of this beautiful country to share with my young kin.
- Columbus, OH 43220
I don't have a story. For years I heard stories that we were destroying our earth and I thought it was the boy crying wolf. The data shows that not only are we destroying our environment but the rate is accelerating at a frightening pace. We can no longer sit back and let this happen. The time is to act now and we can no longer put this off. I want to be proud of the state I live in and we need to become a leader in stopping global warming and contribute to turning our efforts towards the Green movement.
-Solon, OH 4439
A few years ago I read The Coming Global Superstorm. Basically the thesis is that when things get too out of balance, Mother Nature sets them right in a dramatic fashion. Let's be smart and take steps now so Mom does not have to clean up our mess.
As a biologist and long-time solar energy advocate (I have rmodeled two buildings and a golf cart to "solar") I believe it is imperative to address what is probably the gravest crisis humanity has ever faced. I've been trying to "do something about it in my own little way" but it's got to be tackled quickly and vigorously at the societal level. Al Gore's plan is TOTALLY DOABLE -- with current technologies -- and with a huge increase in jobs and economic gain.
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