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At last, a response!

April 18, 2019   ·   0 Comments

At last, someone has debated my opinions!  Be assured that I won’t be suing anyone in the foreseeable future; debate is what brings us all closer to the truth, as long a we respect each other’s opinions.

“Respect” comes from Latin words meaning to see in a new light.  I assume that includes both participants in a debate.

The most significant comment raised by my learned debater in last week’s Letters column was over climate change; so I’ll address only that point (with proofs) as letters are supposed to be brief.

There is no consensus among scientists on mankind’s influence over the earth’s climate.  Those who disagree with the UN’s IPCC find their papers suppressed despite being peer-reviewed, while the IPCC blatantly publishes favourable (to them) papers that have been rejected by science peers.  The 1996 “UN Climate Change Bulletin” reported that only 10% of 400 American, Canadian and German climate researchers agreed that global warming was underway.

But we cannot establish a scientific position by majority rule, only by proof, examples of which I hereby submit.

The average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere varied considerably over the last several thousand years.  The Ice Age ended about 14,700 years ago, allowing Asians to migrate to North America, but cooled off about 13,000 years ago, then warmed about 11,700 years ago (Beets, DJ, et al, “Age and Climate of the late Saalian and early Eemian in the type area, Amsterdam Basin, The Netherlands:  Quarterly Science Review 25). Subsequent cooling and warming periods have been accurately documented by studies of ocean-bed and Greenland-ice cores, etc.

The Norse traversed the north Atlantic in a warm period, 900-1300 AD; grapes were grown in England and agriculture flourished (Bruecker, MWS, 2001:  “Was the Mediaeval Warm Period Global?”Science 291).  Then the earth cooled and Europe entered a dark age; mines in the Alps  were abandoned to ice (Hyde, WW, 1935:  Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 75).  Subsequent warming, then the “Little Ice Age” (1280-1850), then the present warming period have all been documented (Filippi FL, et al, 1999:  Climate and Anthropegenic Influence on stable isotope record from bulk carbonates and Ostracodes in Lake Neufchatel, Switzerland, during the last two millennia,” Journal of Palaeolimnology 21).

I could go on.  My point is that these conclusions were all peer-reviewed and come from a variety of scientific publications, and all agree that climate changes are normal and recur despite man’s presence.  More importantly, you can check the references, which the IPCC declines to allow.

PM Trudeau has in recent months termed carbon a “pollutant.”  Carbon and CO2 are not pollutants – we are all made of carbon compounds – but the PM has not (yet) advocated ridding the earth of the human race.  The clamour to eliminate methane-gas-emitting cattle has ceased; cattle population increases have been more than offset by reductions in bison, elephant and other mammal herds.

I oppose pollution.  I have planted some 25,000 trees so far.  I recycle elastic bands, paper, bags, bag ties and paper clips.  I compost wine corks.  But I also believe in the power of the sun over climate.

You may not change your mind about “climate change” because of this letter, but further research may persuade you.  (You might read “Heaven and Earth” by Professor Ian Plimer; it’s available from any library.)  In any case, I respect your opinion and your right to debate in public, and I hope you respect mine; the local newspapers do.

Charles Hooker  

East Garafraxa resident

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