Meteorologist Tom Skilling prepares for a broadcase in his studio office at WGN. “Chicago will miss you, Tom. Now go enjoy a well-earned retirement.” a reader writes.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
I am convinced our mild and beautiful February weather is no coincidence, and it is not due to global warming. Instead, it is Mother Nature's way of saying goodbye to and thanking Tom Skilling for a lifetime of wonderful service.
Yes, Skilling is a gifted, technical meteorologist who takes pride in his work. Heck, he's the consummate geek.
But he is more than that. We love him because, his weather prowess aside, he is simply a kind, wonderful human being. Though it's always hard to separate someone's television personality from the real person, with Skilling it is not. What you see is what you get, which here means an A+ person.
Chicago will miss you, Tom. Now go enjoy a well-earned retirement. I just fear with you gone, Mother Nature will mourn and March will now be a real bear of a month.
William Choslovsky, Sheffield Neighbors
Climate change is real and it’s human-caused. But some fossil energy companies have tried to obscure this fact and obstruct government action to deal with it. In recent years, lawsuits have been filed around the world against oil companies to pay for the accumulated damage, and now the Sun-Times reports that Chicago has joined the party.
This new lawsuit names BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute as having damaged our population by “discrediting science even as their products lead to consequences that include strong storms, flooding, severe heat and shoreline erosion.”
This legal action by the city may have justice on its side, but is a lawsuit the best way to actually bring justice to fruition?
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According to the article, law professor Pat Parenteau estimates 10 years of litigation “if they get to the goal line and prove billions of dollars in damages.” So you get nothing unless you win. That means engaging in a legal cage match with some of the wealthiest companies in history. Chalk up even more years for the inevitable appeals.
There’s a way to make oil drillers, gas drillers, and coal mining companies pay without assuming the risks of a lawsuit: make Congress put a price on the carbon they extract from the earth; raise the price significantly every year, creating a predictable economic incentive to change course; and, most importantly, distribute all of the proceeds equally to American families.
This so-called “carbon fee and dividend” policy has already met with some success in Canada, despite tough political headwinds. Their carbon fee took effect in 2019, and in just three years, emissions had dropped 8% while the economy grew 21%, and the vast majority of Canadians received more in carbon dividends than they paid in higher energy costs.
Canada, of course, is not the U.S., but it’s not as different as you might think. Relentless lobbying of their legislators by concerned citizens played a vital role in winning this battle.
We can support lawsuits like the one filed by the City of Chicago, but should also employ every other available tool. Call, email, or write your member of Congress demanding carbon pricing to fight climate change.
Rick Knight, Brookfield
I think I can speak for many of my fellow Sox fans when I say to Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf, please move the team to Nashville, or the Carolinas or any other place that will have you. Put us out of our misery.
Don Anderson, Oak Park
February has Valentine's Day which celebrates love. It is also Low Vision Awareness Month. Why not show that you "love your vision" by scheduling an annual eye exam to be sure that your eyes are and remain healthy? After all, many diseases that can cause low vision can be managed if caught early.
This month also provides an opportunity for the public to increase its general knowledge about the causes of low vision and where to find help for any family members or friends who cope with it.
Receiving a low vision diagnosis is difficult, and often scary, for many patients. What do you do to make those who are newly diagnosed feel at ease and optimistic that they can continue to lead independent lives?
As an optometrist at The Chicago Lighthouse Low Vision Clinic, I listen to our patients’ concerns, making it a point to know them on a personal level and hear how vision loss has impacted their activities at home, work, in retirement and at school. Then I offer reassurances that while we might not be able to bring their vision back, we can find ways, through our clinic's comprehensive services, to help them deal with their challenges.
If you aren't easily able to access a low vision clinic, online resources can help guide you to assistive devices and technologies. Mytoolsforliving.com is one such online resource.
Low Vision Awareness Month is also a time for thinking about inclusion. We often take for granted how much of our daily activities rely on good vision.
Reading packages, mail, and emails; seeing faces; driving — think of the additional challenges posed by not having enough vision to do these things without accommodations.
We need to remember people with low vision when designing packaging, products and other items. Inclusion of people with any disability is important and Low Vision Awareness Month is a great time to remind everyone about inclusivity.
Kara Crumbliss, O.D., F.A.A.O., senior vice president of low vision services, The Chicago Lighthouse
