Niesha Morales

Email: n.morales@setonhill.edu

04/11/22

President Joe Biden

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; Washington, DC 20500.

Mr. President Joe Biden,

“Climate change is predominantly impacting those who've done the least to contribute to

carbon pollution and who have the least resources to deal with it because they are living below

the poverty line”1. Through the years that I have been educating myself to be a better person and

to help those who live on this Earth with me, I have seen many issues appear and be resolved or

even just progressed upon. But one issue that I believe deserves more attention than what it has

gotten is climate change. Since this is a multifaceted issue, I would like to focus on carbon

pollution for my letter.

Mr. President I believe it is possible to be carbon-free here in the United States by 2050

and wish for you to start the process of achieving this. It could start in many differen places but I

know each start follows a similar path. During President Obama’s time there was a plan in place,

The Clean Power Plan, which had states meet a requirement of emissions reduced standards. I

believe that this would be a good plan to either reinstate, emphasize, or use a template for

something similar. You could also decide to reverse President Trumps decision to increase the
1
Briggs, H. (2021, May 2). Carbon: How calls for climate justice are shaking the world. BBC News.
Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56941979
speed of planning for the pipelines. This would also help to show your backing of the Clean

Water Act.

I have recent read Local Activism for Global Climate Justice: The Great Lakes Watershed

by Patricia E. Perkins. In it there is a chapter called “Carbon Cuts, Not Job Cuts” and it focuses

on 2016 when there was a standoff between the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies and

the trade unions, specifically the American Federation of Labor. This was because the Dakota

Access Pipeline was set to go through a major burial site as well as a source of water for the tribe

and they tried to stop it. I remember watching and at the same time learning about this when it all

happened. I can recall the many conversations I had with friends, family, and fellow students. I

remember how it seems to be the works versus the tribe but also against Mother Earth. The

situation can be summed up this way: “Trumka and supporting unions advanced the false

dichotomy of “jobs versus the environment” that pits workers in carbon-based industries against

the climate justice movement which has increasingly called for the defence of Indigenous

self-determination”.2 I understand that the cut of carbon is one that is not easily done, with so

many having jobs in those fields. But by pursuing other avenues of change, there will be some

fields that see a cut while others will see an expansion. With the creation of carbon free products

and ways, we will need more hands on deck.

I want to thank you for the time that you have taken to read my letter and any of it that

you may take into consideration. As I have said before, I am a studnet and have tried to learn as

much as I can. In that time I have learned about Catholic Social Teachings and Corporal Work of

Mercy and their principles. By addressing this issue you would be taking a look at CST’s care for

God’s creation. We have been given a home and just like a house, we must take care of it so that

it can continue to take care of us. As for Corporal Work of Mercy we would ensure that the

2
Perkins, P. E. (2020). Local activism for global climate justice: The Great Lakes Watershed. Routledge.
people, specifically the homeless, would continue to have shelter. I hope you will keep these

points in mind for your consideration and I wish you well.

Sincerely,

Niesha Morales

Email: n.morales@setonhill.edu