t.cumo@setonhill.

edu‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
November‌‌4th,‌‌2021‌  ‌
 ‌
President‌‌Joseph‌‌Biden‌  ‌
 ‌
White‌‌House‌  ‌
1600‌‌Pennsylvania‌‌Avenue‌‌NW‌  ‌
Washington,‌‌DC‌‌20500‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌

 ‌
 ‌
Dear‌‌Mr.‌‌President,‌  ‌
 ‌
I‌‌hope‌‌this‌‌letter‌‌finds‌‌you‌‌well;‌‌I‌‌am‌‌writing‌‌this‌‌letter‌‌to‌‌bring‌‌attention‌‌to‌‌a‌‌certain‌‌ 
topic‌‌that‌‌has‌‌a‌‌special‌‌place‌‌in‌‌my‌‌heart.‌‌This‌‌topic‌‌has‌‌always‌‌had‌‌a‌‌spot‌‌in‌‌my‌‌heart,‌‌due‌‌to‌‌the‌‌  
importance‌‌of‌‌the‌‌environment‌‌and‌‌the‌‌impact‌‌nature‌‌has‌‌on‌‌my‌‌life.‌‌The‌‌feeling‌‌of‌‌the‌‌sun’s‌‌ 
rays‌‌hitting‌‌my‌‌face‌‌in‌‌the‌‌morning‌‌when‌‌I‌‌wake‌‌up‌‌makes‌‌me‌‌so‌‌thankful‌‌for‌‌life‌‌and‌‌thankful‌‌ 
for‌‌a‌‌new‌‌day‌‌to‌‌experience‌‌more,‌‌to‌‌learn‌‌more,‌‌and‌‌to‌‌grow‌‌more.‌‌I‌‌can‌‌not‌‌let‌‌the‌‌next‌‌  
generation‌‌of‌‌people‌‌fight‌‌a‌‌battle‌‌that‌‌we‌‌are‌‌capable‌‌of‌‌fighting‌‌and‌‌especially‌‌when‌‌we‌‌have‌‌  
the‌‌knowledge‌‌and‌‌information‌‌that‌‌we‌‌do‌‌today‌‌to‌‌change‌‌the‌‌world.‌‌The‌‌world‌‌is‌‌at‌‌a‌‌sensitive‌‌ 
and‌‌crucial‌‌point‌‌that‌‌things‌‌can‌‌be‌‌done‌‌to‌‌change‌‌the‌‌course‌‌until‌‌it‌‌is‌‌too‌‌late‌‌to‌‌turn‌‌back.‌‌  
Nature‌‌is‌‌deteriorating‌‌in‌‌front‌‌of‌‌our‌‌eyes‌‌and‌‌we‌‌are‌‌too‌‌blind‌‌to‌‌notice;‌‌animals‌‌are‌‌going‌‌ 
extinct‌‌at‌‌an‌‌alarming‌‌rate,‌‌the‌‌oceans‌‌are‌‌being‌‌polluted‌‌with‌‌harmful‌‌chemicals,‌‌the‌‌trees‌‌are‌‌ 
dying,‌‌forest‌‌fires‌‌and‌‌natural‌‌disasters‌‌are‌‌happening‌‌more‌‌frequently,‌‌the‌‌air‌‌is‌‌becoming‌‌  
poisonous.‌‌If‌‌the‌‌Earth’s‌‌average‌‌temperature‌‌increases‌‌we‌‌could‌‌see‌‌a‌‌degradation‌‌of‌‌soil-‌‌  
making‌‌agricultural‌‌land‌‌unusable,‌‌desertification,‌‌biodiversity‌‌decreasing‌‌causing‌‌degradation‌‌ 
of‌‌our‌‌ecosystems,‌‌our‌‌fresh-water‌‌resources‌‌can‌‌dry‌‌up,‌‌the‌‌oceans‌‌becoming‌‌more‌‌acidic‌‌  
decreasing‌‌the‌‌quality‌‌of‌‌life‌‌for‌‌fish,‌‌people‌‌who‌‌make‌‌their‌‌money‌‌based‌‌on‌‌fishing,‌‌etc‌‌².‌  ‌
Along‌‌with‌‌the‌‌average‌‌increase‌‌of‌‌Earth's‌‌temperature,‌‌the‌‌Arctic‌‌Ocean‌‌can‌‌lose‌‌all‌‌its‌‌ice‌‌by‌‌ 
2040‌‌which‌‌can‌‌lead‌‌to‌‌worldwide‌‌flooding;‌‌places‌‌located‌‌near‌‌the‌‌oceans‌‌will‌‌be‌‌no‌‌longer;‌‌ 
California‌‌will‌‌be‌‌the‌‌new‌‌Atlantis.‌‌With‌‌the‌‌melting‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Arctic‌‌ice‌‌comes‌‌a‌‌new‌‌extinction-‌‌ 
the‌‌sixth‌‌one.‌‌I‌‌am‌‌asking‌‌you‌‌to‌‌take‌‌a‌‌look‌‌at‌‌what‌‌is‌‌being‌‌done‌‌to‌‌our‌‌environment‌‌and‌‌speak‌‌ 
with‌‌the‌‌professionals‌‌about‌‌how‌‌to‌‌reverse‌‌what‌‌has‌‌been‌‌done.‌‌As‌‌I‌‌was‌‌reading‌‌the‌‌article‌‌ 
Global‌‌Warming‌‌and‌‌Its‌‌Health‌‌Impact‌w ‌ ritten‌‌by‌‌‌Antonella‌‌Rossati,‌‌It‌‌was‌‌brought‌‌to‌‌my‌‌ 
attention‌‌that‌‌there‌‌is‌‌a‌‌link‌‌between‌‌climate‌‌change‌‌and‌‌civil‌‌violence.‌‌People‌‌who‌‌are‌‌living‌‌in‌‌ 
low-income‌‌countries‌‌are‌‌becoming‌‌more‌‌vulnerable‌‌to‌‌a‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌mental‌‌health.‌‌Climate‌‌  
change‌‌is‌‌also‌‌linked‌‌to‌‌infectious‌‌diseases‌‌that‌‌are‌‌associated‌‌with‌‌weather‌‌extreme‌‌events;‌‌ 
“After‌‌floods,‌‌increased‌‌cases‌‌of‌‌leptospirosis,‌‌campylobacter‌‌infections,‌‌and‌‌cryptosporidiosis‌‌ 
are‌‌reported”‌‌(Rossati,‌‌2016).‌‌With‌‌this‌‌information,‌‌it‌‌is‌‌evident‌‌that‌‌mental‌‌health‌‌also‌‌needs‌‌to‌‌  
be‌‌monitored‌‌and‌‌to‌‌be‌‌cautious‌‌about.‌‌According‌‌to‌‌your‌‌action‌‌plans,‌‌your‌‌plan‌‌is‌‌to‌‌“stand‌‌up‌‌ 
to‌‌the‌‌abuse‌‌of‌‌power‌‌by‌‌polluters‌‌who‌‌disproportionately‌‌harm‌‌communities‌‌of‌‌color‌‌and‌‌ 
low-income‌‌communities''‌‌(Biden‌‌Administration)‌‌which‌‌will‌‌ultimately‌‌help‌‌with‌‌the‌‌mental‌‌  
health‌‌crisis‌‌that‌‌is‌‌to‌‌come‌‌from‌‌climate‌‌change.‌‌People‌‌are‌‌still‌‌recovering‌‌mentally‌‌physically‌‌  
and‌‌financially‌‌from‌‌natural‌‌disasters‌‌that‌‌take‌‌away‌‌their‌‌loved‌‌ones,‌‌take‌‌away‌‌all‌‌their‌‌hard‌‌ 
work‌‌to‌‌build‌‌a‌‌life‌‌for‌‌themselves.‌‌With‌‌one‌‌example‌‌of‌‌just‌‌how‌‌toling‌‌infectious‌‌disease‌‌can‌‌  
be‌‌take‌‌a‌‌look‌‌at‌‌the‌‌COVID‌‌-19‌‌pandemic,‌‌we‌‌are‌‌still‌‌in.‌‌Many‌‌lives‌‌have‌‌been‌‌lost-‌‌causing‌‌  
family‌‌members‌‌to‌‌experience‌‌a‌‌loss‌‌of‌‌a‌‌loved‌‌one,‌‌taking‌‌care‌‌of‌‌the‌‌financial‌‌toll‌‌of‌‌hospital‌‌ 
visits,‌‌mentally‌‌taking‌‌a‌‌toll‌‌on‌‌them,‌‌living‌‌in‌‌fear.‌‌The‌‌information‌‌is‌‌there‌‌about‌‌Infectious‌‌ 
diseases‌‌having‌‌a‌‌correlation‌‌with‌‌climate‌‌change,‌‌we‌‌should‌‌be‌‌alarmed.‌‌    ‌
 ‌

Here‌‌are‌‌some‌‌ways‌‌that‌‌we‌‌can‌‌reverse‌‌back‌‌in‌‌time‌‌to‌‌when‌‌our‌‌Earth‌‌was‌‌clean‌‌and‌‌  
beautiful.‌‌I‌‌want‌‌to‌‌be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌have‌‌the‌‌next‌‌generation‌‌experience‌‌what‌‌this‌‌world‌‌has‌‌to‌‌offer,‌‌to‌‌  
not‌‌live‌‌in‌‌fear‌‌of‌‌the‌‌end‌‌of‌‌the‌‌world,‌‌to‌‌not‌‌experience‌‌natural‌‌disasters‌‌often,‌‌to‌‌not‌‌ 
experience‌‌world‌‌hunger.‌‌If‌‌we‌‌do‌‌nothing‌‌to‌‌fix‌‌global‌‌warming‌‌we‌‌could‌‌face‌‌a‌‌greater‌‌risk‌‌of‌‌ 
infectious‌‌disease.‌‌While‌‌reading‌T ‌ he‌‌Sixth‌‌Extinction‌b‌ y‌‌Elizabeth‌‌Kolbert‌‌¹‌‌it‌‌is‌‌clear‌‌that‌‌we‌‌ 
are‌‌headed‌‌down‌‌a‌‌dark‌‌path.‌‌The‌‌human‌‌race‌‌knows‌‌how‌‌to‌‌destroy‌‌things‌‌(it‌‌is‌‌evident‌‌in‌‌ 
history;‌‌through‌‌war,‌‌animals‌‌going‌‌extinct,‌‌deforestation,‌‌etc)‌‌and‌‌we‌‌know‌‌how‌‌to‌‌be‌‌nurturing,‌‌  
and‌‌understanding‌‌so‌‌we‌‌need‌‌to‌‌find‌‌it‌‌deep‌‌down‌‌in‌‌us‌‌to‌‌be‌‌the‌‌good‌‌we‌‌see‌‌in‌‌life‌‌to‌‌do‌‌  
everything‌‌we‌‌can‌‌for‌‌the‌‌ones‌‌who‌‌do‌‌not‌‌have‌‌a‌‌voice;‌‌grown-up‌‌and‌‌accept‌‌our‌‌mistakes‌‌and‌‌ 
take‌‌the‌‌necessary‌‌precautions‌‌to‌‌fix‌‌the‌‌mistakes.‌‌Scientists‌‌and‌‌the‌‌general‌‌public‌‌need‌‌to‌‌work‌‌ 
together‌‌to‌‌prevent‌‌the‌‌next‌‌extinction;‌‌the‌‌world‌‌can‌‌not‌‌exist‌‌without‌‌plants‌‌and‌‌animals,‌‌it‌‌ 
creates‌‌our‌‌biodiversity.‌‌To‌‌help‌‌the‌‌world‌‌first,‌‌we‌‌need‌‌to‌‌stop‌‌the‌‌emission‌‌of‌‌greenhouse‌‌ 
gases‌‌by‌‌implementing‌‌solar‌‌power,‌‌lowering‌‌car‌‌emissions,‌‌and‌‌lowering‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌fossil‌‌fuels.‌‌ 
In‌‌larger‌‌cities‌‌where‌‌the‌‌populations‌‌are‌‌higher,‌‌I‌‌believe‌‌that‌‌more‌‌solar‌‌power‌‌should‌‌be‌‌used,‌‌ 
and‌‌even‌‌in‌‌rural‌‌populations.‌‌Solar‌‌power‌‌can‌‌be‌‌used‌‌in‌‌cars,‌‌however,‌‌there‌‌is‌‌a‌‌limit‌‌to‌‌how‌‌ 
much‌‌energy‌‌can‌‌really‌‌come‌‌from‌‌a‌‌solar‌‌panel;‌‌that‌‌is‌‌why‌‌it‌‌should‌‌be‌‌using‌‌solar‌‌power‌‌in‌‌  
electric‌‌cars‌‌all‌‌in‌‌one;‌‌to‌‌help‌‌decrease‌‌the‌‌number‌‌of‌‌fossil‌‌fuels‌‌used.‌‌The‌‌economy‌‌would‌‌also‌‌  
increase‌‌due‌‌to‌‌the‌‌increase‌‌of‌‌jobs‌‌introducing‌‌solar‌‌power‌‌would‌‌create,‌‌manufacturing,‌‌  
engineering,‌‌carpenters,‌‌etc.‌‌recycling‌‌should‌‌be‌‌implemented‌‌in‌‌more‌‌regions‌‌and‌‌in‌‌more‌‌ 
communities,‌‌and‌‌when‌‌we‌‌recycle‌‌I‌‌expect‌‌to‌‌see‌‌my‌‌“waste”‌‌turn‌‌into‌‌something‌‌more‌‌ 
beneficial‌‌to‌‌the‌‌environment.‌‌Ever‌‌since‌‌I‌‌could‌‌remember‌‌I‌‌was‌‌taught‌‌through‌‌school‌‌the‌‌three‌ 
R’s;‌‌Reduce,‌‌Reuse,‌‌and‌‌Recycle‌‌and‌‌have‌‌continued‌‌to‌‌try‌‌my‌‌best‌‌to‌‌uphold‌‌these‌‌teachings.‌‌I ‌‌
would‌‌like‌‌to‌‌see‌‌more‌‌recycled‌‌products‌‌hit‌‌the‌‌market‌‌and‌‌ultimately‌‌help‌‌the‌‌environment‌‌and‌‌ 
the‌‌economy.‌‌“One‌‌man's‌‌trash‌‌is‌‌another‌‌man's‌‌treasure”‌‌is‌‌the‌‌old‌‌saying,‌‌making‌‌clean‌‌money‌‌ 
so‌‌to‌‌speak.‌‌I‌‌am‌‌well‌‌aware‌‌that‌‌you‌‌are‌‌an‌‌advocate‌‌for‌‌clean‌‌energy,‌‌however,‌‌I‌‌believe‌‌there‌‌  
is‌‌more‌‌than‌‌can‌‌be‌‌done.‌‌I‌‌think‌‌you‌‌proposed‌‌exquisite‌‌ideas‌‌about‌‌how‌‌to‌‌plan‌‌for‌‌a‌‌clean‌‌  
energy‌‌revolution‌‌and‌‌environmental‌‌justice,‌‌therefore,‌‌I‌‌think‌‌you‌‌should‌‌keep‌‌listening‌‌to‌‌your‌ 
lead‌‌executives‌‌about‌‌the‌‌environment‌‌and‌‌follow‌‌through‌‌with‌‌the‌‌promises‌‌you‌‌have‌‌made.‌‌ 
You‌‌have‌‌plans‌‌to‌‌partner‌‌with‌‌local‌‌universities‌‌and‌‌national‌‌labs‌‌to‌‌create‌‌a‌‌more‌‌resilient‌‌ 
nation.‌‌I‌‌would‌‌also‌‌like‌‌to‌‌see‌‌you‌‌uphold‌‌the‌‌promise‌‌to‌‌recommit‌‌the‌‌United‌‌States‌‌to‌‌the‌‌Paris‌‌  
Agreement‌‌and‌‌to‌‌fully‌‌integrate‌‌climate‌‌change‌‌into‌‌our‌‌foreign‌‌policies‌‌and‌‌national‌‌security‌‌ 
strategies‌‌³.‌  ‌
 ‌

Catholic‌‌social‌‌teachings‌‌are‌‌the‌‌fundamentals‌‌of‌‌human‌‌life‌‌and‌‌the‌‌ideas‌‌that‌‌we‌‌should‌‌ 
follow‌‌to‌‌live‌‌a‌‌good‌‌life.‌‌To‌‌each‌‌is‌‌their‌‌own‌‌on‌‌how‌‌to‌‌live‌‌a‌‌good‌‌life,‌‌however,‌‌in‌‌the‌‌eyes‌‌of‌‌
 
God,‌‌these‌‌are‌‌the‌‌ways‌‌to‌‌follow‌‌to‌‌live‌‌a‌‌dignified‌‌life.‌‌The‌‌right‌‌and‌‌responsibilities‌‌must‌‌be‌‌ 
protected‌‌in‌‌order‌‌for‌‌good‌‌self-dignity‌‌to‌‌be‌‌intact.‌‌On‌‌the‌‌topic‌‌of‌‌global‌‌warming‌‌and‌‌climate‌‌ 
change,‌‌we‌‌have‌‌responsibilities‌‌to‌‌uphold‌‌to‌‌make‌‌sure‌‌that‌‌the‌‌world‌‌is‌‌in‌‌a‌‌better‌‌situation‌‌than‌‌ 
how‌‌we‌‌found‌‌it….‌‌And‌‌right‌‌now‌‌it’s‌‌not.‌‌In‌‌order‌‌to‌‌follow‌‌the‌‌other‌‌catholic‌‌social‌‌teaching‌‌ 
care‌‌for‌‌God's‌‌creation,‌‌‌we‌‌have‌‌to‌‌do‌‌more.‌‌We‌‌have‌‌to‌‌show‌‌respect‌‌for‌‌the‌‌creations‌‌that‌‌God‌‌  
bestowed‌‌on‌‌us.‌‌It‌‌is‌‌a‌‌requirement‌‌of‌‌religion‌‌to‌‌care‌‌for‌‌the‌‌environment‌‌and‌‌the‌‌creatures‌‌that‌‌ 
inhabit‌‌the‌‌Earth.‌‌The‌‌next‌‌teaching‌‌is‌‌to‌‌protect‌‌the‌‌poor‌‌and‌‌vulnerable.‌‌In‌‌this‌‌whole‌‌letter,‌‌I‌‌ 
have‌‌talked‌‌about‌‌how‌‌important‌‌it‌‌is‌‌to‌‌speak‌‌up‌‌for‌‌the‌‌ones‌‌without‌‌a‌‌voice‌‌and‌‌who‌‌need‌‌  
help.‌‌We,‌‌humans,‌‌have‌‌the‌‌intellect‌‌that‌‌we‌‌do‌‌and‌‌have‌‌a‌‌voice‌‌that‌‌can‌‌be‌‌heard‌‌and‌‌can‌‌make‌ 
a‌‌change‌‌for‌‌the‌‌better.‌‌The‌‌last‌‌social‌‌teaching‌‌I‌‌would‌‌like‌‌to‌‌bring‌‌up‌‌is‌‌the‌‌call‌‌to‌‌family,‌‌ 
community,‌‌and‌‌participation.‌T ‌ his‌‌stems‌‌from‌‌the‌‌belief‌‌that‌‌what‌‌we‌‌do‌‌in‌‌our‌‌economics‌‌and‌‌ 
politics‌‌directly‌‌affects‌‌our‌‌human‌‌dignity‌‌and‌‌the‌‌capacity‌‌of‌‌individuals‌‌to‌‌grow‌‌in‌‌the‌‌  
community.‌‌We‌‌have‌‌a‌‌right‌‌and‌‌a‌‌duty‌‌to‌‌participate‌‌in‌‌society.‌‌Henceforth,‌‌we‌‌have‌‌to‌‌stand‌‌  
firm‌‌in‌‌our‌‌belief‌‌to‌‌keep‌‌our‌‌world‌‌safe,‌‌strong,‌‌and‌‌healthy.‌‌That‌‌is‌‌why‌‌I‌‌am‌‌writing‌‌to‌‌you‌‌Mr.‌‌  
President,‌‌you‌‌are‌‌the‌‌biggest‌‌voice‌‌I‌‌can‌‌think‌‌of.‌‌I‌‌am‌‌asking‌‌you,‌‌begging‌‌you‌‌to‌‌do‌‌more,‌‌ 
change‌‌the‌‌world:‌‌that‌‌is‌‌why‌‌you‌‌are‌‌in‌‌office.‌‌You‌‌are‌‌to‌‌leave‌‌this‌‌Earth‌‌better‌‌than‌‌you‌‌found‌‌ 
it.‌‌   ‌
 ‌
Thank‌‌you‌‌for‌‌taking‌‌the‌‌time‌‌out‌‌of‌‌your‌‌busy‌‌schedule‌‌to‌‌read‌‌the‌‌words‌‌I‌‌have‌‌written‌‌  
to‌‌you.‌‌I‌‌hope‌‌that‌‌this‌‌letter‌‌finds‌‌a‌‌string‌‌in‌‌your‌‌heart‌‌to‌‌think‌‌about‌‌how‌‌to‌‌save‌‌our‌‌beautiful‌‌ 
Earth‌‌from‌‌the‌‌damage‌‌that‌‌we‌‌have‌‌caused.‌‌I‌‌wish‌‌you‌‌well‌‌and‌‌hope‌‌to‌‌see‌‌the‌‌good‌‌that‌‌is‌‌to‌‌ 
come‌‌from‌‌this‌‌letter.‌‌    ‌
 ‌
 ‌

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Sincerely,‌‌   ‌

 ‌

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Trinity‌‌Cumo‌  ‌
t.cumo@setonhill.edu‌  ‌
 ‌

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1. Kolbert,‌‌Elizabeth.‌‌The‌‌Sixth‌‌Extinction:‌‌an‌‌Unnatural‌‌History.‌‌New‌‌York:‌‌Henry‌‌Holt‌‌ 
and‌‌Company,‌‌2014.‌  ‌
2. ‌Rossati,‌‌A.‌‌(2017).‌‌Global‌‌warming‌‌and‌‌its‌‌Health‌‌Impact.‌T
‌ he‌‌International‌‌Journal‌‌of‌‌ 
Occupational‌‌and‌‌Environmental‌‌Medicine‌,‌‌8‌(1),‌‌7–20.‌‌  
https://doi.org/10.15171/ijoem.2017.963‌  ‌
3. Plan‌‌for‌‌climate‌‌change‌‌and‌‌environmental‌‌justice:‌‌Joe‌‌Biden‌.‌‌Joe‌‌Biden‌‌for‌‌President:‌‌
 
Official‌‌Campaign‌‌Website.‌‌(2020,‌‌October‌‌29).‌‌Retrieved‌‌November‌‌7,‌‌2021,‌‌from‌‌ 
https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/.‌‌   ‌

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