Energy footprint

In response to Eugene Robinson’s Nov. 7 column (“The sea’s challenge”) on Hurricane Sandy and storm surge infrastructure, I agree with Robinson’s claim that there is indeed a pattern and our nation cannot afford to continue risking the livelihood of our cities and economy with poor protection. However, the underlying problem (climate change) will not be resolved by using protection, but by combining it with methods of prevention.

Our levels of human consumption and ways of producing energy are huge contributors to humanity’s footprint on the climate. I propose the use of renewable forms of energy that will help return our climate to a level of stability. The initiation of safe alternatives, like offshore wind, are promising to our economy and will lower emissions from harmful energy sources, such as coal plants and fracking, and break this streak of destructive storms that will bring further loss to people time and time again.

Susie Proctor

Chapel Hill