In his recent letter [“‘No’ means higher energy prices,” Recorder, March 26] Jim Bates is right that fossil fuels have powered societies across the globe — nobody disputes that. It’s the reality of pollution and carbon buildup in the atmosphere that is pushing people away from fossil fuels. We need to weigh our choices: to continue using them to the detriment of our environment, or to switch to more sustainable alternatives. Being environmentally conscious is an act of insurance; if we want to preserve the beauty of Gill, and indeed, the rest of New England, we need measures to prevent fossil fuels from continuing to damage the climate. It seems like an overhaul of everything the world was built on, and it nearly is, but it’s not all loss.

The future is bright and filled with opportunities to build back better. For a solar skeptic, one would be surprised to know how cheap solar panels are compared to traditional energy sources. And I hope it is soothing to know that clean energy is holding up the job market as well, if not better, than fossil fuels. Don’t be afraid to try it out; you’ll save some money and get a taste of self-sufficient energy at the same time. When one door closes, another opens.

Jessica Zhang

Gill