San Diegans are reacting to President Donald Trump’s sweeping order on climate change, which eliminates environmental and pollution regulations put in place by former President Barack Obama.
As is usually the case with President Trump, there are two very different perspectives.
“Unfortunately our president is totally out of step with American families and American values. We all believe in the freedom of enjoying clean air and drinking clean water. Unfortunately, our president is siding with corporate polluters,” said Nicole Capretz with the Climate Action Campaign.
The campaign’s mission is to stop climate change and focus on moving San Diego to a 100 percent clean energy future through solar, wind, and geo-thermal resources.
“We’re all in this together. We’re all impacted. The pollution moves from community to community, from state to state, all across different nations,” said Capretz.
But Ursula Wagstaff-Kuster has a completely different perspective. She co-owns CA Botana International, a skin care manufacturing company in Mira Mesa. She applauds the president’s order, mostly because it cuts back on government regulation of business.
“You have to have common sense, and you have to follow the lases as it is already. We don’t need to double down. So I think if we can reduce all the regulation by 50 percent, I would be very happy,” said Wagstaff-Kuster.
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She also made it clear her company is conscientious about the environment, making sure to recycle and follow the rules. Yet she says the company pay $30,000 a year to satisfy government regulations.
“It makes no sense, you lose productivity and it’s almost impossible to stay in business because, what’s the point, if government wants to rule you. What’s the point,” said Wagstaff-Kuster.
