Dear Editor:
RE: Fear-filled letters, Aug. 24.
Jane Vanderliet misunderstood recent letters addressing climate change. They were not trying to cause fear, but rather were encouraging one to see what is happening all around us and to take action.
We are fortunate in this area to live in a relatively benign environment, so it’s comforting to avoid acknowledging what is happening elsewhere. If you don’t know, you don’t have to do anything, right?
Vandervliet tries to mislead us about Canada’s forest fires. Hot dry conditions increase the likelihood of wildfires starting. In a normal year, lightning ignites 50% of wildfires that account for 85% of the area burned. Human carelessness accounts for the other 50%. Arson is rarely the cause. That dozens of wildfires in Canada this year were caused by arson, is false.
Vandervliet’s comment that temperature rises before CO2 is a climate myth, and that the lag is 800 years is nonsense.
It is true that CO2 is necessary for life, and so is water. Too much of either is not!
We need to stop looking the other way. Burn as little fossil fuel as possible, use less plastic, consume less, waste less, recycle and reuse. Do what you can to leave a smaller footprint and a better world.
Ron Moore,
Hillsburgh