If you have grandchildren, you should be concerned about global warming

To the Editor:

In last week’s edition, Dave Shafer stated that global warming is a hoax perpetrated by Al Gore and his followers. Unfortunately, Al Gore was the first public figure to bring the issue of global warming to our attention, thereby making it a political issue.

If one can get past the politics and heed the scientific findings of 95 percent of the world’s climate scientists, you can easily conclude that this gradual warming of our Earth is not a hoax. Just recently, James Baker and George Schulz, members of past Republican administrations, have acknowledged that the planet is warming and that it is due in part to human activity.

It is true that volcanoes spew tons of ash and other material into the atmosphere. However, volcanoes erupt and then subside, allowing the atmosphere to cleanse. Our use of carbon-based fuel worldwide, is continuous day in and day out and is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.

The carbon dioxide given off by carbon-based fuel results in a layer beneath the ozone and acts as an insulator that prevents heat from the Earth to disperse into the atmosphere. One other effect to the carbon dioxide is that a portion of it settles into the oceans and is adversely changing the ph balance.

At this time, very few of us individually want to give up our use of gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles (trucks, cars, tractors, lawn mowers, etc.). Manufacturers and businesses are reluctant to reduce their use of carbon-based fuel. However, continued use of these fuels will only result in raising the Earth’s temperature.

If you have small children or grandchildren, you a should be concerned about global warming. It is a serious issue.

Dave mentioned New York City being under water because of the melting ice caps. This will happen but not overnight. And the buildings will not have to be submerged to have disaster. One foot of water in the streets of New York City would create havoc and shut the city down.

However, New York City will not be alone. Almost every coastal city, worldwide, as well as many of our strategic military bases that are located at sea level will be affected by rising sea levels.  

Last week I submitted a letter in which I said Councilwoman Amy Pokorny may be 10 years ahead of the crowd concerning a charging station in Knox. If the findings and predictions of the climate scientists are accurate, we will be driving battery-powered cars out of necessity and not by choice.

Ed Nicholson

Knox

Editor’s note: Ed Nicholson works part-time for Knox, assisting the town’s assessor, Russell Pokorny, who is married to Councilwoman Amy Pokorny.

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