Global warming gamble?

Dear editor,

In a recent opinion piece Cal Thomas pooh-poohed the idea of global warming, calling it a “panic” and a “myth.” Anyone who farms or spends time in the outdoors will recognize that global warming is rapidly changing our environment.

Nonetheless, Thomas could be right. Perhaps the overwhelming consensus of climatologists is wrong. Perhaps the global warming predictions are completely off the mark.

Here’s the gamble. If the people who think global warming is a real problem caused in large part by human-produced greenhouse gases are correct, and we act quickly to alleviate the problem, we will clean the air, lessen water pollution, and extend the life of our oil and gas reserves. Some economic dislocations may occur as we switch from coal and oil to wind and solar, but overall it will be more of a transfer of jobs than large-scale unemployment.

On the other hand, suppose Cal Thomas is wrong. The ice caps melt, coastal areas are inundated, large areas of the globe suffer from increased desertification, famine breaks out, wars occur, animal and plant species die out, and the earth’s climate is irrevocably changed.

I am not willing to take Cal Thomas’ gamble.

Sincerely,

Roy Christman

Towamensing Township