Dear Editor:
In a recent letter, Nelson Otto discredited Dr. Michael Urban's statements about climate change because Urban is a geography professor. Urban is among the 97 percent of scientists convinced that humans cause climate change. Otto, however, also cites a geography professor at the University of Delaware, David Legates, who is not a good choice as an expert. The Delaware governor required Legates to stop using his state climatologist title when speaking about climate change. Also, Legates frequently speaks for ExxonMobil-funded organizations sponsoring reports questioning the science behind climate change.
ExxonMobil has known for years that burning fossil fuels causes climate change. In 1977 James Black, an Exxon senior, told their management committee, "There is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels." The next year he reported that while some areas of the country may get more moisture, others will become deserts unable to produce food. With 12 consecutive months of record heat along with record flooding and drought, his predictions are clearly occurring. ExxonMobil knows their products damage our environment, yet we continue to subsidize oil companies, which spend millions discrediting legitimate science and lobbying against reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Nelson Otto seems to believe climate change is occurring, and we can do nothing to prevent it. Instead of merely accepting the consequences, which we already see, we need to work both globally and individually to slow climate change. Individuals can easily compost, recycle, shop with reusable bags, walk, bike, carpool, take public transportation, grow fruits and vegetables, shop locally, plant trees and install LED lights. To do more, we can install solar panels, sign up for wind energy, get a fuel efficient vehicle and support a carbon fee.
With a revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend, most of us would spend about the same net amount on energy. Otto commented on Sweden's carbon tax but did not dispute the fact that it reduced emissions, added jobs and improved the economy.
Otto said we have reduced carbon emission by 11 percent, but EPA statistics show the best improvement actually was 6.7 percent between 2008 and 2012. Carbon dioxide emissions rose again in 2013 and 2014. Fifteen countries have a carbon fee, five since the 1990s. It is time for the US to join and take a significant step to slow climate change.