Pentagon has role in climate change

The big story in The Sun this past week was the unforeseen storm. In the editorial, "Feeling powerless" (July 3), the question asked was this a "freak occurrence?" Your answer makes sense: "Climate science suggests that global warming will make unusual and severe weather much more common."

However, I have a suggestion. Instead of global warming, use climate chaos. What I witnessed in Baltimore on the Friday night of the storm was climate chaos. Only a head-in-the-sand politician would deny that human activity is causing climate chaos. Scientists have determined that the warming of the planet is happening, and many, including polar bears, are suffering the consequences. Of course, we must abandon dirty fossil fuels and get our green economy in gear. However, there is an elephant in the room — the Pentagon.

TheU.S. military's environmental record is, to say the least, dismal. I argue that the Pentagon is greatly responsible for the assault on Mother Earth, as it is the world's number one consumer of fossil fuels. There are some 1,000 military outposts, thousands of flights per year, gas-guzzling Hummers, depleted uranium, nuclear weapons, toxic military sites and environmental ecocide in war zones.

If we are to save this planet, war is not the answer. We the people must rise up and demand severe cutbacks in Pentagon spending. These tax dollars then can be use to develop the green economy. Let's do it before the next mega-storm hits Baltimore.

Max Obuszewski, Baltimore