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It may be too late to save the planet

After reading Mark Guydish’s column (“Tree-cutting time is full speed ahead,” March 1), I nodded my head sadly. As Dr. Seuss warned us years ago in the tale of “The Lorax,” we need more people, and especially the younger generations, to care enough about our trees, indeed the future of our entire planet, or things are not going to get any better.

In downtown West Hazleton, Mr. Guydish eloquently describes the beauty of another once-healthy neighborhood that has been sacrificed for the convenience of the automobile. “Car-obsessed overkill,” as he phrases it, has been happening all around us for the last few generations, as the politicians, the public and assorted chamber of commerce-types continue to encourage unchecked suburban sprawl without much thought for what we are doing to our remaining woodlands, farmlands and watersheds – and the plants, animals and 6 billion-plus humans who rely on a healthy planet for survival.

And now, with a new Republican Congress in power and a Democratic Senate and presidential administration that seem too quick to compromise with an anti-science Republican agenda, regardless of the consequences, I shudder to think what will happen.

If we look at how many Western European countries have been developed, we can see efficient, affordable mass transit, high-speed rail lines and a much better appreciation of the need for green space and healthy ecosystems. We need to find a way to end our excessive reliance on oil, gas and coal, and move quickly toward clean, renewable forms of energy such as solar, wind and geothermal. One big step in the right direction would be to rebuild and revitalize our entire railroad system, both for human and commercial transportation.

However, there are very powerful, vested interest groups, such as the big energy companies, auto companies and other related interests, that have a huge financial stake in perpetuating the status quo.

Unfortunately, with the new crowd in Washington, and the old guard being too timid and too quick to compromise, changing direction before we move beyond the brink of ecological collapse is going to be a very difficult proposition.

Cuts spell failure for state education

Well, now. There’s a budget proposal to hang your hat on.

Gov. Tom Corbett has presented his first budget proposal. In it, he recommends a $500 million cut in funding for public school districts, and a cut by one half for state colleges and universities.

How can you go wrong with a plan like that?

I mean, if you want to dumb down the population, this is the plan for you.

At a time when we are falling farther behind the rest of the world, this is an obvious solution.

Why, with such a plan, Pennsylvania easily could wind up at the bottom of all the states in education.

With plans floating around to cut spending on education at both nation and state levels, it won’t take long before the United States can begin to beg other countries for subsidies to help us pull ourselves out of poverty.

Governor, I salute you. We’ve just fallen off the turnip truck.

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