Fifty years ago, it seemed like that the war on pollution would be won. Things got better, especially after the Clean Air Act of 1990. But the scientists warned us about climate change, and we ignored their warnings. The high that fossil fuels gave us was too attractive.

And now we are seeing the consequences of climate change. Beaches closed due to blue-green algea. Air dirtied from wildfire smoke and extended heat waves that further cook the tail pipe emissions from cars. Clean water and clean air increasingly seems like it’s a more distant goal.