Obama plans Everglades trip to highlight cost of climate change

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to celebrate Earth Day by visiting the Florida Everglades.

In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, Obama says “there’s no greater threat to our planet than climate change.”

He says he’ll visit the Everglades on Wednesday to talk about how global warming threatens the U.S. economy. He says rising sea levels are putting the “economic engine for the South Florida tourism industry” at risk.

Polls consistently show the public is skeptical that the steps Obama has taken to curb pollution are worth the cost to the economy. So Obama is aiming to put a spotlight on the costs of climate change.

Obama held an event in Washington earlier this month linking climate change to health problems like allergies and asthma.