Climate change: Let's talk openly and honestly

Hurricanes typically weaken before they make landfall. Not Harvey.

An abandoned truck remains on Interstate 45 in
Houston on Aug. 29 in the wake of flooding caused
by Hurricane Harvey. 

The historic storm actually grew stronger in the immediate 24 hours before it made landfall in Texas, the bathtub-warm water acting like a perfect fuel for Harvey's fury.

For decades, scientists have warned the man-made climate change could bring bizarre and unprecedented events. Harvey probably belongs on that list.

If Houston is going to be serious about keeping our city safe from Mother Nature, then we have to make global warming part of the discussion.

It will be a tough conversation. Even in the 21st century, the oil and gas industry still serves as our core economic engine. They've brought untold wealth and prosperity, but at the end of the day their product is responsible for carbon emissions that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Read the Houston Chronicle story - “Climate change: Let's talk openly and honestly.”