Letters to the Editor: Framing climate topics in ‘apocalyptic terms’ risks disengaging the audience

To the editor: I found the recent Los Angeles Times article on California glaciers alarmist and one-sided (“As California glaciers disappear, people will see ice-free peaks exposed for the first time in millennia,” Oct. 1). The article seems to rely on a narrow focus of evidence, which is then extrapolated to make broader points.

As someone with a background in geology and Earth science, I would like to offer a different perspective: Glaciers naturally go through cycles of advancing and retreating. Suggesting that the climate can be fixed to a specific state indefinitely is not scientific, as the climate has always been in flux. While it is true that glaciers are currently retreating, historical patterns indicate that they may advance again in the future.

When articles consistently frame climate topics in apocalyptic terms — quoting researchers who say glaciers are “[dying] off” — it risks disengaging readers, who start to say, “yeah, right, whatever.” The Times should encourage more measured reporting that acknowledges both the complexity of climate systems and the longstanding patterns of change.

Chris Richgels, Scottsdale, Ariz.