Global warming is nothing new, it has been happening for about 10,000 years, since the last ice age as a matter of fact, with relatively short periods of cooling along the way.
Our valley was filled with hundreds of feet of glacial ice during the ice age, and glaciers have been receding ever since. Oceanic water levels have been rising due to this melt.
Mankind has no doubt contributed to the warming affect, especially since 1900.
However, none of the environmentalists are admitting that our world population has grown by billions.
All of these people are breathing and demanding goods and services, expelling carbon dioxide (CO2) in the doing.
Most plant life requires CO2 to live and grow faster as CO2 concentrations increase. Methane is another of the damaging greenhouse gases.
Should we be trying to be more environmentally friendly? Unquestionably yes!
We should be planting more trees and shrubs; avoiding idling our vehicles unnecessarily; eating less beef – yes, grain fed cattle are one of the largest sources of methane; and many other activities which are more environmentally friendly.
However, the inconvenient truth is that we should not be destroying our economy levying ineffective carbon taxes.
We should be preparing ourselves to deal with higher ocean levels and climate change rather than wasting our money enriching the carbon credit sales people.
Canada is, in practice, one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world, generally speaking.
In addition, we should be trying to sell relatively clean energy, such as natural gas, to such countries as China which is planning to build about 30 new coal burning electric generating plants over the next few years.
Regardless of race, colour, or creed, we should all be doing what we reasonably can to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute our fair share to the well being of our economy.
C. Wills, Vernon
