Tears for the planet | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

After reading "Ocean acidity major threat to reefs, U.S. scientist says" (Tribune, July 9) about the 30 percent increase in ocean acidification due to global warming and the consequences to not only life in the sea, but also essential food chains for billions of people, I broke down in tears.

I cried for the loss of life, lamented the extinction of species, sobbed for the uncertain future my children face.

My sadness then morphed into anger. I was furious at the fossil-fuel industry and its political puppets for getting in the way of meaningful change. I was also furious at President Obama for his lack of leadership.

For crying out loud, all life on our planet is at stake and he knows it, our military knows it and the scientific community knows it. Just declare a national emergency and do what is necessary. I went to bed depressed and angry. I had nightmares about our planet on fire.

But today I woke up and said, We cannot give up! We still have a beautiful planet to save. There is still hope. So I will stay passionate and carry on.

Cherise UdellFounder, Utah Moms for Clean Air

Salt Lake City