By Paul Rosenberger 

[A fettered EPA may speed global warming. Rosenberger, PV-SB Publicity Chair and frequently published letter-writer, offers tips on your first shout to a newspaper. – ed.]

Global warming is arguably the biggest challenge that mankind faces in the near term future and beyond. Last December 192 countries including the United States, China and the European Union signed an agreement in Paris to take coordinated action in fighting this problem. Unfortunately, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, President Trump dismisses global warming as a “hoax” and is inclined to pull the United States out of this agreement. Instead he wants to open up more wilderness areas for oil drilling and mining for coal instead of promoting solar and wind based energy. The new head of the Environmental Protection Agency is similarly inclined.

We Sierra Club members cannot let this happen unchallenged. We must raise public awareness. Much of the public is still unaware or confused about global warming and its consequences, but the subject is getting increasing attention by the press.  We can reinforce this trend by writing letters to the editor.  The Los Angeles Times receives upward of 500 letters a week on various topics.  The number of letters received on a given topic is a measure of the interest the public takes in that issue.  Writing a letter, whether it gets published or not, raises awareness of global warming with the editorial staff and improves the chance that there will be future articles on that subject.  And if your letter does get published, you will impress thousands of readers with your point of view.

Because the Times publishes only those letters that refer to something that appeared in that paper,, look for articles they have published related to global warming.  If you are not a subscriber, go to your local library or to http://www.latimes.com.  Think of a point you want to make related to that article and write a short letter (150 words or less).  Use the submission form at http://www.latimes.com/about/la-letter-to-the-editor-htmlstory.html. You will receive an automatic acknowledgement email, thanking you for your submission and some other useful information.

Your first letter is not likely to get published, but this is a learning process and you should read the letters that did get published to get a feel for what makes the cut. Initially it is not so important what you write as long as it is reasonable and makes sense. NASA has some useful facts at here. The mere fact that you wrote the letter is important because it re-inforced the public interest in global warming.  Good Luck