To the Editor:
Over the last few years I have read articles from John Shewchuk, our local meteorologist, debunking the concerns about climate change.
Basically he says humans have had little effect on our climate. The current change in our climate and weather conditions are a natural cycle.
So what do we believe? NASA has a website showing pictures from satellites how the Earth is changing. NASA’s data is overwhelming that we clearly have a problem and that human carbon foot prints have caused an acceleration in heating the planet bringing about natural disasters that we see everyday in this country and around the world. A few years ago I was in Alaska and went to Glacier National Park. Beautiful mountains but all the glaciers have melted in the last 50 years. Go on the internet and do your own research. Nobel scientists and other climate specialists who have been researching climate change for the last 50 years have all stated that what John Shewchuk claims is simply not true. Humans have impacted our climate and unless we work to reduce carbon in the atmosphere the natural disasters that we see everyday on the news will continue and worsen.
I am not a scientist but I do believe in science and the people who have devoted their lives to studying this problem. The Earth cannot absorb the carbon gas and needs our help. Look at it this way. Between the US and China there are approximately 600 million fuel burning vehicles running everyday pumping carbon gas into our atmosphere. Data shows that a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Do the math. Add the fact that the industrial revolution started 150 years ago and gas burning vehicles have been around for over 100 years. The carbon gas doesn’t disappear like fairy dust. It’s trapped in our atmosphere and is warming the planet. This does not take into account all other forms of fossil burning industries.
The gas coming out of the tailpipe is poisonous to all breathing animals and humans but according to John it has no bearing on our planet. It’s all just a natural phenomenon. The reality is that most of us living in the Villages will be dead in 30 years but our grandchildren will be in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
If John Shewchuk is correct then they have nothing to worry about concerning human impact. However, what if he is wrong. What if the predictions by NASA and other real climatologist are correct that by 2050 life on this planet and in America will be drastically different from our time on Earth. Do you want to gamble on the quality of life for future generations. I have five grandkids ages 8 to 12 and I love them more than my own life. I’m sure you do as well. Do your own research. The real scientific evidence is overwhelming.
Keith Hohimer
Village of Osceola Hills
