This Letter to the Editor was written by Ray Nakano and was published in the Toronto Star on August 4, 2023, in response to this article written by Heather Mallick. It was republished on August 7, 2023, with the title, Go outside and take action on the climate crisis.

Air conditioning melts away the urgency of doing something about climate change, July 31

It was frustrating to read Heather Mallick’s article talking about the very complacency that got us to where we are today: a climate crisis.

Saying that we will lose interest in this existential crisis, with air conditioning during the summer, and winter coming, is exactly what we should not be doing.

She is correct that Doug Ford is doing nothing to help us address this crisis. Instead, he wants to build new highways and nuclear reactors that will only come online in 10 years while destroying our Greenbelt.

Mallick should be inspiring readers to take action by: telling their MPP that they want the Ontario government to mitigate climate change, writing letters to the editor, joining or donating to an environmental organization, and attending climate rallies and marches. We need to do all we can.

This is the fight of our lives to create a livable future for our children and grandchildren.

Ray Nakano, Toronto