We are our own worst enemy when it comes to environmental change | Opinion

When I moved to Rockford, Illinois in the very early ’70s, spring was just that — April showers bring May flowers.

The summers were generally warm and hot. The falls were sort of warm then cool. The winters were cold and snowy.

Something has brought about a noticeable change that a lot of people recognize as climate change. There are some people that don’t believe this. Reality to some is perhaps a coincidence that these environmental changes just happen and are an act of God.

I won’t totally dismiss this; however, I feel sometimes we are our own worst enemy. I have observed people while driving east, west, north and south throwing trash from the car with no law enforcement nowhere in sight.

My feeling is persons like this continue to do similar things and fear no penalty and may do this repeatedly.

Oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams are all polluted by humans. When I served in the U.S. military in crossing the Atlantic Ocean we dumped trash every day into the ocean. We can drive by a river, lake, pond or stream in a lot of places and see the junk in them.

An old slogan, “What you see (sea) is what you get.”

Human intervention may be the real culprit for changes that are occurring today, along with autos, planes, trains and buses.

Then come the tornados, drenching rain, hurricanes, dust storms, ice storms, etc. There are areas of this country that are experiencing these that are not accustomed them leading to major destruction and deaths.

This is a reason that insurance costs are higher along with premiums to cover these mishaps. In some states, it is hard as hell to get flood or wind damage insurance at all.

We as citizens of The United States of America should have some responsibility — whether you recycle paper or plastics or purchase an auto run on alternative energy.

Some of us think “I have enough money so the price of gas won’t affect me much.” But what if you did not have enough money? Then what?

To me the real root cause is money. Rich people got rich off of someone else’s back and may not care about the environment and the destruction caused by climate change.

It has been said that some of us never grow up.

Well, little boys and girls, it’s time to grow up, accept the responsibility and the challenges that life brings to all of us.

L.C. Wilson is a Rockford resident and a former Winnebago County Board member.