Legislators should address global warming

Spectrum, by Ray Kelley

Global warming is having an impact on the entire planet, although the reasons for this warming trend are not yet clearly understood, to say that human contributions are a large part of the cause is questionable.

Quantifying the extent of human influence regarding these changes is difficult, as is the impact of the sun's solar radiation, over which we have no control. Warming and cooling of the planet is not new, it has happened many times in the past and certainly long before humans existed.

We can do some things regarding pollution/contamination of our blue marble, some easy, some not. Recycling and conservation are good things, but the root problem is human population growth; this expansion will eventually outstrip the planet's capacity to renew the resources needed to support the masses. It is 2004 and some countries have still not implemented or supported any effective forms of birth control to help reduce the rate of population growth.

In time, education and economic improvement within third world countries will bring the changes needed to slow population growth but they may not arrive soon enough. There is a huge disparity between developed nations and those that are not, for this I fault politics and greed. Renewable energy sources such as wind and geothermal will never develop enough capacity to quench the ever growing world consumption, covering the planet with windmills will not fulfill the energy requirements needed when the wind stops. The real impact of evolving fuel cell technology will occur when the supply of oil and natural gas has diminished to the point it forces change.

Buried under a huge environmental roadblock is the cleanest renewable source of energy we have, water. Just mentioning hydroelectric dams brings out the opposition in droves to protest against dams, oil, gas, nuclear and other objectionable sources they now use themselves.

What can we do, oh what can we do? Start paying more attention to world events, support good science and send real leaders to Juneau and Washington.

Leaders with brainpower and excellent common sense can make the right political decisions and pass implement-able legislation that will allow real changes to occur. These types of leaders are hard to find and the political structure as it exists stymies new ideas and prevents needed changes from happening in a timely manner.

The leaders we elect to do the work required should not be hamstrung by party affiliation nor controlled by large corporations or tilted whichever way the political wind is blowing. To be effective leaders those individuals must make good decisions based upon unbiased, reliable data to provide the best outcome for those they represent as a collective group, not individual groups or special interests. And when they get it right, give them all the support you can muster.

Ray Kelley is a Palmer resident.