There is a climate crisis!
Richard Riethmiller spouted disinformation on this crisis in his letter to the editor (“Climate nonsense dreamed up by profs,” Feb. 21)
Ask Australians after their unprecedented wildfires if climate crisis is real. We have historic temperature levels – 120°F in Sydney, 60°F in Antarctica, 90°F in Anchorage. We have historic high CO2 levels, 416 ppm, the highest since womankind first walked the Earth, and levels were just 180 ppm 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age, below the pre-industrial age 250 ppm level.
CO2 absorbs infra-red radiation, retaining heat. Scientists have documented a warming Earth with crisis effects – not nonsense, but fact.
Mr. Riethmiller also pooh-poohed acid rain science, lake acidification, and the resulting fish kill.
Scientists determined acid rain was principally from sulfur emissions while burning coal; SO2 gas forms sulfuric acid in rain. Using low-sulfur coal and smoke stack scrubbers, the acid rain issue was addressed, and the fish returned – a brilliant example of science identifying, then helping to solve, pollution problems.
Another global pollution problem is chlorofluorocarbon effects on the Earth’s protective ozone layer; science diagnosed it, and a global chlorofluorocarbon ban is returning the ozone layer.
Science helps address the climate crisis and decarbonizing our energy supply, but we must commit to that now!
The worst effects of the climate crisis will be on generations to come. I will be able to look my grandchildren in the eye and say I fought against climate science disinformation, and I decarbonized – hopefully not too little, too late.
Stephen GuyDurango
