Sunday's letters: Blame more powerful hurricanes for higher insurance bills
Climate change driving up insurance bills
There is widespread concern in Florida about the skyrocketing property insurance costs. But it’s not hard to understand why they are going up. It’s because of climate change.
Florida is getting hit by more powerful hurricanes. Property damage is much greater.
Over the last 25 years, Florida’s yearly hurricane damage costs varied from $3.7 billion to $49 billion. Hurricane Ian, a Category 5 storm, caused $112 billion in damage, with $109 billion of it in Florida.
The carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere each year stays for 100 years and accumulates. It can only get worse. Warming oceans cause more powerful hurricanes.
More: How to send a letter to the editor
Insurance companies must raise their rates to be able to pay for the increasing damage. Addressing climate change is the only solution.
But there is one other major problem. Our Republican Party rejects the need to tackle climate change. In fact, based on a study by the University of Bergen in Norway, it’s the only conservative political party around the world that openly denies climate change is an issue.
There is lot more to be concerned about than just property insurance. At least we know how to vote. Our grandchildren will be grateful we did.
Robert Kolk, Venice
Time marches on, except in Florida
As a child in the 1950s I loved reading books about time travel, so I should appreciate our governor using the Legislature as a time machine to return us to the days of my youth.Back then, a certain amount of racism was taken for granted and everyone knew their place. People often left their doors unlocked, without keeping a gun handy in case the wrong person came in.No one said the word “gay,” except a few bullies, and they usually used harsher terms for it. Today, thanks to our wannabe president, “gay” is in this newspaper every day.I never heard the F-word until I was old enough to do it. Today’s kids can hear it in almost any public space and on streaming services and many basic cable channels, and they can read it anywhere, sometimes with asterisks replacing a letter or two.If children don’t understand a word now, they can Google it, and there’s no telling what they might find.The world has changed in many ways since my childhood, but time travel is still science fiction. Florida should come back to the present.Steve Warren, Manatee County
A diverse workforce is good for business
Before retiring, I was a human resources director for numerous organizations. I have taught diversity and inclusion classes and encouraged diverse recruitment to provide a more creative, innovative and inclusive workforce.
A 2021 Forbes report found that “companies with a diverse workforce are 35% more likely to experience greater financial returns than their respective non-diverse counterparts.”
Yet Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have signed into law the Florida Individual Freedom Act, or Stop WOKE Act, which provides that educational institutions in the state must eliminate any DEI programs and training that might “compel individuals to believe any of the enumerated concepts.”
More: DeSantis visits New College to ban funds for diversity programs
On May 16, the governor signed a bill that bans funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state colleges and universities.
How I wish that I could compel anyone to believe anything!
If I could, I would compel individuals to treat others who may be different from themselves with kindness; to help others who are less fortunate; and to support the rights of all for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Would that I could.
Margaret Beck, Sarasota
An age of insanity, selfishness
As a lover of history, it always made sense to me that as human beings had more freedom, curiosity and education, life would incrementally improve as time went by.
And yet, here I am, about to reach a milestone birthday, and all I can see is an unrestrained return to the madness of hatred, division, selfishness and total insanity.
We have a governor who is at war with Mickey Mouse, we have a once-respected political party only interested in demolishing the very truth of our history as it should be taught in our schools.
Didn’t a lot of Americans die in World War II defending our basic freedoms?
Our capacity for learning from history has dropped to zero! Maybe I’m just old but holding on to our basic democratic freedoms is essential if we are to live in the U.S.
Where have our heroes gone – the people we hoped to emulate for their intelligence, fairness and dignity?
Between the pandemic and our country’s descent into political hypocrisy, I want to thank my family, friends and dog for keeping me going.
Still hoping for the best!
Barbara J. Lupoff, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Blame climate change, stronger storms for insurance bills
