Among the topics of political disagreements that have arisen over the last number of years is global warming. Republicans and skeptics disavow its existence while most (heard 97 percent) of the scientists and experts agree global warming or climate change is a fact.
Recent topics like the Keystone pipeline, renewable energy, the so-called “war on coal” and the president’s raising the mile per gallon guidelines for vehicles in the near future are all part of environmental concerns. The Republicans were all against these topics in recent years, while the Democrats have tried to be prudent while conservative on pushing them.
The reports from conservationists are certainly threatening and make one aghast at the possibilities of shrinking ice caps, rising oceans and turbulent weather — all to come over the years. And we may not be talking many years. We may actually be talking within the next 15 or 20 years if renewable energies don’t take over more from fossil fuels.
As a sidebar to this topic, Jimmy Carter, when president in 1979, had solar panels installed on the While House. Ronald Reagan, when president in the early 1980s, took them down. We have the technology to combat global warming, and it’s maybe high time we did so.
STEVE STANISLOWSKY
Jonesborough
NiteRider writes:
December 4, 2012
1:19 PM
You are making the assumption that earth's warming and cooling are due to mostly human factors. The earth has gone through cycles of warming and cooling for millions of years. And not just a degree or two, we've had ice ages. There was a mini-ice age in the 1400's. The sun goes through cycles of increased and decreased solar output. Humans weren't even around then. But now all of a sudden, WE are responsible for it? I don't think so. Even if we completely stopped our CO2 output, the earth is going to go through these natural cycles. You can't stop it, you have to adapt.