Global Warming, Politicians and the Gas/Oil Status Quo

Re “The Fact of Global Warming,” editorial, Sept. 12: As illustrated in the editorial, there are sensible and pragmatic solutions to the problem of global warming.

In my mind, these clean energy solutions are worth the time and money to explore. However, as long as our elected officials in Washington continue to favor maintenance of the gas and oil status quo above all else, the problem will only worsen.

I fear it will take an environmental catastrophe of epic proportions to make clean energy solutions a viable entity.

David Allspaw

Northridge

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Global warming is certainly a fact. Just ask Leif Ericson, who farmed and raised livestock in Greenland before exploring the coast of North America in the 11th century.

Then again one might ask George Washington about global cooling as he suffered at Valley Forge in the 18th century’s coldest winter.

My point is that the globe has warmed and cooled in the past without help from human activity, and I believe that whatever changes are taking place now are mostly due to the same factors that caused changes in the distant past.

Ron Thomson

Cheviot Hills

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Two hurricanes devastate Florida. Another is on the way. The state’s governor, Jeb Bush, says, “Maybe someone creative in Hollywood could come up with something like this [scenario], but this is past my imagination” (Sept. 10). But scientists who study global warming have been warning of this scenario for years.

Greenhouse gases will cause ocean temperatures to rise, resulting in more frequent and severe hurricanes. Perhaps the problem isn’t the Florida governor’s lack of imagination but his, and his brother’s, lack of belief in science.

Victor Fresco

Santa Monica