Hi. My name is JB Parker-Biier. and rm a rising seniorat Pittsburgh CAPA High School. Some ofyou may be wondering why rm here. why I, as a 17-year-old, would even 

### care about this issue. Why would Itaketime out ofmy summervacation to attend a boring, old court hearing? On the contrary, Idon'tfind this to be a boring, old court hearing. In fact, I lind it terrifying. Since seventh or eighth grade, I have been extremely passionate aboutthe current environmental crisis; an essay that I wrote on the harmful effects ofthe fracking process in middle school sparked this passion. I became curious about what else lay festering in the open wound that is our dependence on nonrene\vable fuel resources. After marinating in this knowledge for aboutthree years. Iwas called again to address the issue ofclimate change. In this second essay. Iwrote about climate change itself: \Vhat causes it, \vhat it affects, and what measures could be taken against it. This allowed me to not only do research on what climate change was in general, but also to begin to understand how it affects all manners oflife- human 

### and non. This \Vork is what. as my mom says. "lit afire in my belly'' and is one ofthe main reasons why rm standing before you today. Climate change is the worstthreat that humankind has everfaced. It not only affects the environment, but the world's economies and societies as well. Injust the last hundred years, human industry has caused the global temperature to rise by approximately l.4°F, causingdrastic changes in weatherpatterns. melting ice caps, and rising sea levels. The primary activity contributing to global warming is the burning ofnonrenewable resources for fuel, such as fossil fuels and coal, which add C02 to the atmosphere. At one ofthe listening sessions held by PA Interfaith, Power. and Light. Rabbi Daniel Swartz said. "

...this heritage ofpollution is nothingcomparedto problems we are bequeathing to future generations through our indiscriminate burning offossil fuels." ram a part ofthat generation that is inheriting a warmingplanet. It is becoming clearer and clearerthat ourplanet is suffering. and so are the people on it. Ifyou look closely, compelling connections can be made between global disasters such as famine. drought, flood, and the effects ofa quickly warming planet. But it's notjust globaL it's local. too. Every time Iwalk down the street and watch a bus drive past in a black cloud ofsmoke, it feels as ifmy life force drains out ofme, slowly. along with the Earth's. I know the smoke belching from the cokeworks on the Ohio is otlen in violation ofEPA standards for emissions. I live here, in Pittsburgh. I breathe the thick airthat is. accordingto the AmericanLung Association. some ofthe worst in the country. But Idon't want my friend Doug, who, along with 50.000 otherkids in the region suffers from asthma, to breathe it, too.Iwant four distinct seasons. Iv.·ant to watch the news and not see reports on the melting ice caps, rising sea levels, or drought in war-torn sub-saharan Africa. And Iwant people to have goodjobs to support theirfamilies with dignity, as well. 

### My commitment to end the suffering ofthe planet extends to everyone and everything. Everything on Earth is connected, and everything must act together to keep this enormous organism in balance; every action that we take has an impact. This is why Iwould ask you to please, help ourregion, ourcountry, and ourplanet. Please. enforce these regulations so that we can start healing the world and the people on it.John Bay**Parker~Biier** 912 Farragut St Pittsburgh PA 15206 Doctordonna4@gmail.com