| IGNORING GLOBAL WARMING WILL NOT MAKE PROBLEM DISAPPEAR |
To Atlantic Highlands Herald:
I hope readers did not miss the recent National Academy of Sciences report on global warming. The NAS panel concluded that the temperature of the Northern Hemisphere was warmer during the late 20th century than at any other point during the last thousand years, and that 1998 was the warmest year of the last millennium. Some critics of the NAS panel argue that current warming trends are only due to cyclical climate changes, but this view ignores crucial scientific evidence. While cycles of cooling and warming have occurred in our planet’s history, recent emissions of carbon dioxide have pushed global temperature increases far beyond normal cyclical activity. These CO2 emissions are a direct result of human activity – specifically, the burning of fossil fuels.
Ignoring the evidence of global warming will not make it disappear; in fact, apathy can only exacerbate the problem. Readers should either see the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (still in theatres) or visit http://www.climatecrisis.net to learn the facts about global warming.
Regards,
Eddie Konczal
Monroe Township, NJ
