The global glass is almost empty

Re “It’s a consensus: The end is near,” Jan. 18

While the White House and Congress squabble over Iraq, and the media regales the public with mixed martial arts photos, civilization teeters. Ever since the dawn of the Nuclear Age, the greatest thinkers have urged us to end war before war ends us. Now the danger of total war is joined by global warming, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved the hands of the “Doomsday Clock” to 11:55 p.m.

Although scientists have come to a consensus about the perils of human-generated global warming, only about half of distracted Americans have registered this. The Times and other newspapers must do a better job of educating people if there is to be a reversal of U.S. militarization and paralysis when it comes to combating global warming. We must stop fighting in Iraq and turn to diplomacy and the environment now. The clock is ticking.

THOMAS J. OSBORNE

Laguna Beach