Letter to Editor Addresses Environmental Concerns Among Students

Changing light bulbs, driving less, and using energy efficient appliances are steps in the right direction.

(SALEM, Ore.) - I am a local student who is concerned about global warming and its potential devastating impacts. More and more science is showing us that human action is causing climate change and we must act now to protect our future. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tells us that by acting now, the worst impacts of global warming can still be avoided.

As the Earth’s largest polluter, the U.S. has an obligation to reduce the amount of global warming emissions we dump into the atmosphere. It is our responsibility to preserve a sustainable way of life and secure a livable future for many generations to come. Our children and grandchildren do not deserve to inherit environmental despair that threatens their livelihood because of our negligence.

I am thrilled about the individual choices my friends, family and other local Salem citizens are making to do their part to combat global warming. I see people choosing energy efficient appliances, changing driving habits or even switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles. Each of us will continue to become more energy responsible, but I do not believe that will be enough to put a halt to global warming. As local citizens and businesses are making changes, they are demanding that their government do its part also. Constituents are speaking out by signing petitions and writing letters to their representatives. This urgent matter deserves full commitment from our representatives in Congress to truly make a difference.

Local campaigners Kurt Schrader-(D) and Mike Erickson-(R) are currently running to replace Darlene Hooley in Oregon's fifth district. Each have made many promises during their campaign, but both have failed to propose what they intend to do about the biggest environmental crisis of our time.

Reducing harmful emissions that contribute to global warming is not a partisan issue. Representatives in Washington from both sides of the aisle have expressed their concerns with the issue; it is time that someone shows some initiative and commits to a legitimate plan. We must stop building dirty, dangerous nuclear and coal fired plants and implement clean, renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

Changing light bulbs, driving less, and using energy efficient appliances are steps in the right direction. I need to know my local representatives in Congress are committed to taking action on this issue. In the upcoming months prior to the election, I would like to hear what Kurt Schrader and Mike Erickson are going to do to protect the health of our community and future generations...I know that I am not alone.

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Johanson July 10, 2008 8:10 am (Pacific time)

In doing climate research you need to separate those who embrace histrionics while you pursue the empirical, aka, the scientific method. The latter is using science and reason which will allow you to sort out the quasi-science, which is generally coupled with melodramatic themes, by using two very important concepts: "Reliability" and "Validity." These two concepts, if properly learned and applied, will allow you to learn how to think, which in the final analysis, is when the real learning/discovery process begins. The histrionics do not know how to think and reason independently, they will diminish conflicting information. When it comes to global warming, which some consider cyclic, and you know how to objectively assess and review climatic data plus sort out the quasi-science from the empirical, you will know how valuable the concepts of reliability and validity are and how they apply to literally all aspects of life, both in the physical and the social sciences. Andy I assume you live in the Willamette Valley. Are you familiar with the huge boulders that are scattered down as far as the Eugene area that are from the far north? Some weigh over ten tons. In a way you could say they were deposited during a global warming over 10,000 years ago when a huge ice damn gave way in Canada. Would you call that period pre-industrial? Of course you would! Go do some opposition research regarding global warming claims, and learn how the scientific method really works. May I suggest some courses in Physical Geography and Geology of the Pacific Northwest if you go to college. You will see that one can find almost any [micro] climatic condition on the planet that will support that either global warming is manmade or that it's of a cyclic nature, if it is even happening to begin with. You may be quite surprised with what you discover.

Josh July 9, 2008 11:16 am (Pacific time)

Andy looking at both sides of an issue allows you develop good research skills. Global warming is going to become even more controversial as times goes by, so learning all sides of this issue will be quite valuable. Whatever side of the issue you land on in the future you will know the arguement of the other side which will allow you to possibly help them to view another way of looking at it. That's what I did, and as each day goes by I learn new things about "climate" on both a macro and micro level, and how man really has very little impact on it on a (macro)global level, but on a local level, we can at least minimize our pollution and other averse impacts to the environment that is human caused.

Henry Ruark July 7, 2008 4:54 pm (Pacific time)

Andy et al: Doubt if C/D can justify any charge that Australian government part of his conspiracy blamed for new ecological understandings, so here's latest from Down Under: Climate change report like a disaster novel, says Australian minister · Scientists predict 10-fold increase in heatwaves · Greenhouse gases blamed for half of rainfall decrease * Barbara McMahon in Sydney * The Guardian, * Monday July 7, 2008 (Guardian is world famed daily, in no way open to bribe or other influence.) A new report by Australia's top scientists predicts that the country will be hit by a 10-fold increase in heatwaves and that droughts will almost double in frequency and become more widespread because of climate change. The scientific projections envisage rainfall continuing to decline in a country that is already one of the hottest and driest in the world. It says that about 50% of the decrease in rainfall in south-western Australia since the 1950s has probably been due to greenhouse gases. Yesterday, Australia's agriculture minister, Tony Burke, described the report as alarming and said: "Parts of these high-level projections read more like a disaster novel than a scientific report." The analysis, commissioned by the government as part of a review of public funding to drought-stricken farmers, was published days after another report, by Professor Ross Garnaut, warned that Australia had to adopt a scheme for trading greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 or face the eventual destruction of sites including the Great Barrier Reef, the wetlands of Kakadu and the nation's food bowl, the Murray-Darling Basin. --------------- Which is more rational and reasonable, to hint at fear and conspiracy, or to find out facts from around world ?? Take you choice --and then check source-given, too !!

Henry Ruark July 7, 2008 1:49 pm (Pacific time)

Andy et al: Now you see why little happens in this world, even with solid scientific facts supported by overwhelming evidence no longer possible to ignore. But then, too, dissent is also essential; just do not be confused by Copernicus or any others who waited long in history to be proven right --just as many, some as wise as C., were also proven wrong. Which is why science is so constituted: to provide the rational, reasonable approach we need, with built-in safeguards to offset the always-present dissenters. You will find most-such, in overwhelming-factor situation like this, are usually driven by that other very powerful motivator: Status Quo, here role played by energy and other corporations intent on milking even more after some generations of draining our mutually-owned global resources for their own corporate-owned pockets.

Climate Debator July 7, 2008 1:06 pm (Pacific time)

Two sides to this equation, maybe more. Andy may I suggest you try playing devil's advocate by taking the other side of this issue, that is , Global Warming is not really happening outside of normal cycles as evidenced by the historical record (both written and geologic), and man did not cause these climate cycles, ergo, man cannot alter these climate cycles via any current known method. [Of course reducing pollution and creating alternative energy sources is certainly a great pursuit as we are doing now at a quicker pace]. I bet you would find some very interesting information that would be well supported by literally thousands of members of the scientific community who see Global Warming as nothing more than a scheme to increase taxes and fees, maybe even something else. Debate is a postive attribute when we allow it to go forward, but it becomes quite something else when you have people who try to squash it. Look up Copernicus as an example of what happens when one goes against prevailing orthodoxy, and eventually is proven correct. There are countless examples throughout history like Copernicus.

Henry Ruark July 7, 2008 8:48 am (Pacific time)

Andy et al: Do not be discouraged by lack of Comments, Andy --many adults these days are really very "slow learners:. But even for them the devastating results you cite are beginning to sink in...and the final resolution(s) may well come more rapidly, the more we-and-they learn. FYI, The REGISTER GUARD here in Eugene now carries an intermittent column by a very welll-trained and highly competent specialist, working at an Oregon agency, from whose column we will share here from time to time the latest scientific consensus data. Stay tuned, and keep on reporting the facts of this issue as YOU see them...thus demonstrating not only your own common sense bu the real responsibilities of citizens in democratic surround. Thank you for your strong and detailed participation here.

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