By: Meekael Hailu
Kathleen Hartnett White was withdrawn as the Lead Representative on the Council of Environmental Quality under the Trump Administration. She received stark disapproval for her statement when calling carbon dioxide the “gas of life”. This change in advisory has resulted in the new search for a replacement, and the administration is considering North Carolina Environmental Regulator Donald van der Vaart. Vaart was a secretary for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and has been in talks to fill the position for some time. He has 25 years of experience as both a lawyer and a chemical engineer. Similar to the previous regulator and other officials in the administration, Vaart is a skeptic of climate change. He has a strong interest to eventually question the legal foundation of the federal climate change policy once given the platform of Lead Representative. Time and time again, the Trump Administration has made it clear that they are doubtful of climate change, and the recent leadership adjustments have proven that to be the case yet again. Their reasoning behind all of this clouded skepticism is almost all fueled by the need for profit. Reducing the severity of climate change, once looked at from the economic "bottom line" point of view, is an extremely profitable decision. Although this may be true, it begs the question: is that really the ultimate and only priority of running a country? To improve and maintain all aspects of the United States you should have a comprehensive perspective on things, not fixed. For the Trump administration to repeatedly demote science and logical reason in the name of economic gain truly doesn’t seem like they are doing their best to “Make America Great Again”.Photo via Creative Commons.