In dark are the rates of change for Greenland in 1996, 1998 and 2007.
By Lane Sharman
Solana Beach Clean and Green Committee
Suppose the freezer in your home is perfectly balanced at 30 degrees Fahrenheit. You have lots of ice. Cool. Now what if some condition caused the freezer's temperature to rise by just two degrees? All that ice would turn to liquid. Were the liquid to spill out, it would create a mini-disaster. Were the ice sheets of Greenland, the Arctic and Antarctica to melt, that is a mega-disaster. Glaciologists measure ice and rates of change.
There is bad news and really bad news. If the common citizen and governments in every part of the developed world do not immediately commit to a low carbon future, the ice sheets will melt and coastal civilizations will be inundated. Further, this is not some distant event; think 50, 100, 200 years. Every person is reasonable to demand carbon-free energy now: solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and yes, nuclear (and don't forget about human energy, too). Many energy companies get the science: Sempra is on the record for preferring a carbon tax to cap and trade. Governments must mandate carbon-free electricity. Coal-fired power plants must be shut down immediately. If you need further evidence for these claims, read "Storms of my Grandchildren," by the eminent American scientist, James Hansen. (You can also check out copies at the local Solana Beach library.)
Our ancestors cared and sacrificed for the present generation to enjoy its bounty of blessings. It is our turn to make intelligent and informed decisions so that following generations have those same blessings. To do otherwise is just plain selfish and that is not the way of America. It is your children and grandchildren's quality of life that is at play.
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