YOUR AD HERE »

Clearing the climate of doubt (letter)

April 4, 2015
Adam Zyglis |

We love Colorado, but this month’s Men’s Journal is telling people to flee climate change to ski in Alaska. Of course Alaska is warming too, but the Journal says that skiers will find the deep snow in the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage.

The Summit Daily has reported on increased fire danger with climate change. Resorts are adding year round attractions. It’s great to adapt, but let’s cut down on the source of the problem.

If you are confused and even in doubt about climate change, you can be forgiven. That was the intention of the “Merchants of Doubt.” The 2010 book by, historians of science, Oreskes and Conway, documents how the public was misled for four decades by a loose knit group of scientists. The movie, by the same name, was released to theaters March 6 of this year.



The truth is that now, at least 97% of climate scientists worldwide agree that climate change is caused by burning oil, coal, and natural gas. A free market solution is to make polluters pay, using a carbon fee and dividend plan. The U.S. charges a fee for oil, coal, and natural gas, as it comes out of the ground (or into the country). Then, the money is equitably returned to families and individuals, in the form of a monthly dividend. You may want to call it a “bounce back tax”, because all the money is returned to the people.

We don’t want some countries to get away without doing their share. So, border adjustments are made with countries who do not yet have similar programs. The U.S. is a potent economic force. So, that will motivate the other countries to do the same thing.



We can do it! Write or call Senator Bennet, Senator Gardner, and Representative Polis.

Chris Hansen

Boulder


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.

Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.