As I See It: Looking ahead and climate change - The Daily News of Newburyport

As I See It: Looking ahead and climate change | Columns | newburyportnews.com

Everyone must feel concerned with the weather. Not only locally but worldwide. There has been talk of climate change and it seems to me to my untrained eyes that it is happening (I know some people doubt it). They say in time, it could be irreversible. I think the U.S. should take the lead on starting a program.

During World War II, I was away so I don’t know how having a gas ration worked out. It seems to me that we are in the same predicament today.

We’ve got to do something about cleaning the air in the atmosphere. In my childhood, there were only a few cars. People couldn’t afford to own a car, there were other ways of transportation.

Remembering how Market Square was back in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a hub of activity, a great gathering place. Route 1 came right through State Street.

There was a restaurant called DeDe’s Restaurant that was the depot for Greyhound. Many people took the bus to Boston, New York or even cross-country.

It was the least expensive mode of transportation, but … very slow. The train was so much better, you could take a train right across the country. Maybe airplanes were starting but I’m not aware of much of it.

Car pollution wasn’t spoken of, there was a concern of the smoke from smokestacks burning coal and that was a common problem. I can remember there were still railcar tracks that went around town.

People could get to the beach on streetcars or buses. I used to enjoy being down Market Square and watching all the activity there. There was parking for those who owned cars. It was quite different than it is today.

All the while, we were polluting the air. We didn’t realize it but today we know better, we see the results. It is not only in our country, but it is worldwide. All of the exhaust is going into the atmosphere so the weather is off on our entire planet and something has to be done about it.

Looking at the Amish people, especially those in Pennsylvania who I used to see while traveling to Florida. They don’t use automobiles.

They get around with horse and buggy and three-wheeled bicycles, and they look so happy and healthy as we saw them in our travels. They seem to be showing us the way.

We think if we have do away with the car, we are goners, but they prove differently. We may have to resort to rationing again. We’ve got to cut down on a number of cars on the road. That would be one big step and I believe it would be a worthwhile attempt.

Whatever happens, I think things will work out.

Robert “Boots” Chouinard lives in Salisbury.