h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Another quick explanation for our European friends.

Yesterday, the US president announced that the US was withdrawing from the Paris Accords, because 'I was elected to represent Pittsburgh, not Paris.' Aside from the fact that this statement resembles the reasoning behind Congress' rejection of the League of Nations in 1919, the president's mentioning of Pittsburgh has peculiar significance. The mayor of Pittsburgh reacted strongly to Mr Trump's remark.

Mayor Bill Peduto pointed out that 80% of Pittsburgh voters backed the other candidate in the presidential election. Pittsburgh is a strongly Democratic city. He said, 'As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future.'

The subjects of ecology and climate change are particularly fraught in the Three Rivers. Why? Take a look at this helpful collection of 'then and now' photos of Pittsburgh.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kevintang/stunning-photos-of-pittsburghs-air-pollution-in-the-1940s?utm_term=.jy8RoXzYz#.kraY2G0D0

Growing up, I had classmates who knew what Pittsburgh was like before the 'Renaissance'. You couldn't put out your laundry: it got dirtier. You couldn't leave a baby outdoors. Who wants this? Not the people of the nearby town of Donora. In 1948, an inversion killed 20 people there and made 7000 ill. It was a major wake-up call. The moral? Don't use bituminous coal as your go-to fuel.

You can read more about Pittsburgh's ecological history in this blog from Philly.com. Philadelphia was lucky: that side of the state has anthracite. Also, the city isn't in a bowl surrounded by mountains.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Trump-to-Pittsburgh-Drop-dead-Again.html

As Will Bunch writes here, 'Citizens of Pittsburgh, Paris, Philadelphia and Pretoria are all riding in the same leaky boat.' And Pittsburgh wants out of today's soundbite.

I hope this helps clear up the political controversy for today. Now back to worrying about all the other stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2UqCjoo2oM

Looks to me like you're suggesting people should let facts get in the way of their beliefs.

Well, Pittsburgh IS full of engineers...

What next ? The Earth is round ? Pfft

Don't mention the Flat Earthers. They might get into power...

http://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/its-a-square-world-1960

"we" idiots knew years ago, the world was square!
and the hippies knew the "norm's were squarehey man!