October 1, 2013 > Letter to Editor: Climate ChangeÊ
Letter to Editor: Climate ChangeÊ
The year 2012 marked the hottest year on record and it looks as though 2013 is going to result in temperatures that are just as hot in many parts of the nation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that a rise in serious hurricanes will accompany the rising temperatures in 2014. Extreme weather conditions and rising temperatures are not only impacting the environment but also are costing taxpayers money.
Superstorm Sandy, wildfires on the West Coast and a drought in the Midwest cost US taxpayers over 100 billion dollars last year. Yet government officials throughout the nation, even here in California continue to deny the existence of climate change.
Representative Jeff Denham (CA-10) was quoted: ÒSome wouldnÕt view them as skeptics. Some would view them as the right side of the issue. We donÕt have complete factual information yet. From what I have seen the Earth has heated and cooled on its own for centuries. I donÕt know that thereÕs anything that is a direct cause of that right now, but we can do a better job of cleaning up our planet.Ó
Has our climate changed before? Absolutely! Nobody disagrees with that. But arguing that humans arenÕt the cause of climate change today is like arguing humans canÕt cause forest fires because they've been started by natural causes in the past. Basic physics tells us something important: Climate change happens for a reason. Some past changes in the climate were driven by the sun burning brighter or by an increase in volcanic activity. ThatÕs not the case now. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that humans are causing most of todayÕs climate change by burning dirty fossil fuels and sending carbon pollution into the atmosphere at an unprecedented rate.
Visit RealityDrop.org to get the facts or WhatILove.org to see how climate change affects the things you canÕt live without.