The Gazette article “Confronting Climate Despair” (Dec. 24) brings up hopelessness as one of the causes of despair. There are many things we can do to fight the crisis and give hope! If you want to do something quickly, act alone. If you want to do something large, join others.
The quick things help solve the crisis a little, but are more for ourselves, both physically and emotionally. These are things such as get a free energy audit, install LED lights, seal and insulate the house, buy Energy Star appliances, wash clothes in cold water, install hot water pipe insulation, cut waste, buy less (Google “The Story of Stuff ”), stop idling the car, buy an electric car and on and on. These things help one feel empowered and if we all do them they make a difference. It is rather like the collecting of scrap metal and cooking grease was in World War II.
Joining others is harder. There is less immediate gratification. It involves joining and donating to organizations working against the climate crisis. It involves voting for those who will act locally, national and globally to stop our increasing use of fossil fuels. It involves learning from and spreading the word to others.
John Howard
South Hadley