Is a job more important than preserving the Earth? | Capital-Star Letters

Dear Editor:

In response to State House Speaker Mike Turzai’s, less than triumphant speech about the numerous  “jobs, jobs, jobs,” that will be provided through the expansion of manufacturing shale gas that would turn fracked ethane gas into plastic, I personally do not think we should be expanding jobs that damage our environment and harm our health.

Continuing to support the petrochemical industry will only bring up big environmental concerns. First, single-use plastics are detrimental to the environment because it clogs our oceans, killing wildlife.

The House GOP wants to ‘Energize PA.’ Environmentalists say ‘no thanks’

On top of that, the most notorious contributors and the world’s largest companies of fossil fuel, ExxonMobil and Shell Oil are behind the drilling of oil.

There is no need to even put more power in the hands of greedy, money-hungry companies that contribute harmful results to our planet.

Environmental companies all over Pennsylvania and the world as a whole could use the money that would be given to the petrochemical industry to instead invest in 100% renewable energy, or other environmental initiatives.

This is why I believe that temporary jobs are not worth the harmful long term damages that our environment will receive if we continue to allow these large companies to create and dig into our ground to produce non-biodegradable material. If we continue to subsidize harmful industries, such as what would happen if we pass Turzai’s ‘Energize PA’ package (HB1100).

That’s why I urge our senators to vote no on this bill.

ANNABELLE MENLA, Philadelphia

(The author, a student at Temple University, is an intern for the advocacy group PennEnvironment)