Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

July 6, 2023 was marked as the hottest day recorded in the Earth’s history. Unfortunately, as we approach this unhappy anniversary, there is little to celebrate. Reports from the major international climate agencies such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Copernicus, the European Science Agency, all continue to identify alarming trends. In the past year, extreme weather appears to have become even more extreme.

     Wildfires, global temperatures, intensity of hurricanes, precipitation and sea level rise all seem to continue to be headed in the wrong direction. One can persuasively argue that islands such as Martha’s Vineyard are even more vulnerable to climate change. We would do well to remember a Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” 

Let’s put an end to future unhappy anniversaries.

Kevin R. Loughlin MD

Edgartown