U.S. not doing its share to offset global warming (Ashville Citizen-Times, NC)

U.S. not doing its share to offset global warming

By SPECIAL TO CITIZEN-TIMES Oct. 26, 2004 5:38 p.m.

Scientists studying global warming are reluctant to predict when we will experience undisputed changes in climate caused by human activities. Nevertheless, they are nearly unanimous in their belief that these changes could be pronounced, disruptive and could take place sooner than once believed. Nearly every issue of the weekly American Scientist magazine carries accounts of receding glaciers, melting polar ice, or changes in animal migration patterns.

Canada, Russia and England have recently voiced concern over greenhouse gas emissions. The scientific advisor to the UK has warned that 'climatic change is the most severe problem that we are facing today - more serious than the threat of terrorism.'

Although the U.S. is responsible for the greatest per capita production of carbon dioxide, our leaders have done very little to immediately reduce this type of pollution. It's almost as if President Bush has personified the forces of nature; he acts as if catastrophe can be averted or postponed by means of the powers of persuasion, the promise of additional studies or simply by denial.

Norman Earle,

What should the USA do?

Implement insane envoronmental regulations so even more corporations leave the US and set up shop in third-world countries with zero pollution controls.

Stuart Warren

That would be the day after pixies change the universe to one where unsubstantiated claims by frauds are 'undisputed'.

The Important Greenhouse Gases (except water vapor) U.S. Department of Energy, (October, 2000) (1) (all concentrations expressed in parts per billion) Pre-industrial baseline Natural additions Man-made additions Total (ppb) Concentration Percent Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 99.438% Methane (CH4) 0.471% Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 0.084% Misc. gases ( CFC's, etc.) 0.007% Total 100.000%

Here's the reality you don't understand and the chicken little peddlers don't want you to know:

Anthropogenic (man-made) Contribution to the 'Greenhouse Effect,' expressed as % of Total (water vapor INCLUDED) Based on concentrations (ppb) adjusted for heat retention characteristics

% of All Greenhouse Gases % Natural % Man-made Water vapor 95.000% 94.999% 0.001% Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 3.618% 3.502% 0.117% Methane (CH4) 0.360% 0.294% 0.066% Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 0.950% 0.903% 0.047% Misc. gases 0.072% 0.025% 0.047% Total 100.000% 99.72% 0.28%

William R. James

If liberals stopped exhaling, that might help. r they could stop burning pot, and stop releasing methane out the other hole.

Better yet, let them drink water instead of alcohol, since water is the only relevant greenhouse gas.

William R. James

The Asians are now the largest producers of greenhouse gases. China's oil consumption increased 80% this year. They DO NOT have to implement any pollution controls according to Kyoto. Their vehicles are as uncontrolled as cars in the U.S. were in the 1950s. Kyoto, global warming is a HUGE scam!