Letters: Now or never on climate change

Now or never on climate change

The newly released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says it’s “now or never” if the world is to stave off climate disaster. After a report like this, we cannot go on “business-as-usual.” Any policy that doesn’t include phasing out fossil fuels is not a real climate plan. “Net zero” pledges are not going to get the job done, we need "Real Zero."

Net zero emissions doesn't mean zero emissions. In many cases, it means the exact opposite and is used as a polluter-driven greenwashing scheme. Instead of relying on unproven future technologies, we demand climate plans that radically reduce emissions to zero. We must put pressure on our government officials to read the IPCC report and pledge their commitment to "Real Zero" emissions.

Rafael Capella, Palm Beach

Fix the Senate for democracy's sake

Again the citizens of the United States are having policy dictated by a senator from state with 4.5 million people.  Kentucky's Rand Paul, who garnered votes from about 1/2 of 1% of U.S. population, is now dictating foreign policy by delaying vote on Ukraine aid.  Add in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's obstructionist behavior of the last six years, especially in terms of U.S. Supreme Court selection process, and it seems as if direction of the United States is being decided by less than 25% of the citizens of the 26th-least populated state in the union, a state ranked by Newsweek as 46th out of 50 when it comes to education. Obviously some changes in the makeup of the Senate, based on population, need to be made in order for a true democracy to prosper.  

Joe Newman, Hypoluxo

What's good for the goose...

Seventy percent of Americans believe that women should make the decision on whether to have an abortion. Consider a proposal that the person who impregnated the woman be castrated. Of course, that’s a ridiculous idea, no man would allow the government to make such an important decision affecting their private life.

Burt Edelchick Hobe Sound

Related Opinion:Editorial: Ending Roe v. Wade shouldn't curb Florida privacy rights

Travel industry needs federal help

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every business in the country in one way or another. But few sectors have been as hard hit, or face a longer road to recovery, than the travel agency industry. And still, government restrictions, such as inbound testing rules, are further delaying our industry's recovery and creating roadblocks for travelers. 

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's inbound testing order is the single biggest barrier to the full recovery of the international travel system. This rule, in place since January 2021, requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country, regardless of vaccination status. Exempting vaccinated travelers from this rule would help travel businesses to recover from the devastation of COVID-19. My message to elected officials in Congress, on behalf of the more than 160,000 people who work in the travel agency industry, is simple: When it comes to travel planning, we need consistency and certainty. Exempt fully vaccinated U.S. travelers from the inbound testing requirement.

Kelly Bergin, Boca Raton