Editor:

In October, I published an op-ed in support of the hydropower project.

Trying to strike a light note, I granted that another supporter of 2C, Mayor Ireland had, in the past, a personality akin to 60-grit sandpaper.

I was concerned that the 3M Corporation, or another manufacturer of abrasive products, might object to the comparison, but have received no such letter of complaint.

I did, however, receive a note from Mick strongly objecting to a second gratuitous slam I leveled in an otherwise complimentary paragraph extolling the environmental leadership he and other mayors have provided.

I won’t repeat the insult, but I would like to note that it was fabricated out of whole cloth. What was meant to be satire was in hindsight slander, and I regret propagating a lie. My apologies to the mayor.

The voters have spoken on 2C, but the community discussion about Aspen’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emission must continue. I’m a big fan of Indian Summer. Indian Winter, not so much.

I love snow, and we are waging war on it.

The climate we are leaving our kids and their kids will bear little resemblance to Colorado winters we have known.

My daughter Tarn will turn 27 in February. She’s been alive for about 300 months, but never experienced a single month when the planet was cooler than average. No wonder, since half the fossil fuel humans have burned in our 100,00 year journey has gone up in smoke since she was born.

Whatever Aspen has done on the clean energy front — and there’s much to be proud of — it’s not enough.
 
Randy Udall
Carbondale