Dear Dr. Braun,

The 10 words you use to promote change in how we deal with climate change (“Ten words explain the science around climate change” The Westfield News, October 24) are compelling to those who believe and those who do not believe. I know that clean air and clean water are healthy, but living in the pristine Amazon rainforest is a challenge that is beyond me and almost everyone else. The two words that you minimize and leave at the last points of your opinion are 100% of all words, of all languages, of every country on this earth. These words are “economically viable”. The next sentence asking for it to be “socially just and equitable” is very flowery and very DEI, but it’s really a waste of words when it comes to continuing to live and move forward into the future. Everything must be economically viable, otherwise it was not created in the past and will never be created in our future.

If the United States does not compete and lead the rest of the developing world in anything, whether it be air, water, food, or the ability to just enjoy a distraction like watching a TV show with a cold beer in a cozy living room, they are a project doomed to failure. Yes, that means continuing to use fossil fuels. Yes, that means ignoring carbon credits given to developing countries. Yes, that means a military stronger than the combined militarism of the next ten countries in the world.