Letter: Personal choices won’t be enough

It is good to see more people making sustainable and eco-friendly choices in their lives. But let’s be clear, our personal choices alone did not cause the climate crisis, and they will not solve it either. It is unfair to place the blame solely on the consumer, when the fossil fuel industry is largely to blame.

The fossil fuel industry has spent millions of dollars convincing us the climate crisis is our fault, but it knew 50 years ago how to prevent climate change.

Instead of transitioning their sources of energy away from fossil fuels, they lied to shareholders, lawmakers and communities. The industry doubled down on fossil fuels — essentially embedding them in every aspect of our lives — for their own profit. And now the opportunity has come to hold them accountable.

We need systematic change. We need to hold these corporations responsible for their wrongdoing and require them to pay for the impacts our communities are facing.

Tanya Dreizin

Liliha