Chilling Costs of Global Warming (from WSJ)

Let me preface this with a brief synopsis of my opinions on global warming as they stand today. Generally, I believe that global warming is a natural effect of the world as was the ice age and all previous geological phases of Earth. Having said that, the human condition could have an impact on the speed or depth of global warming, and I am a firm believer in curtailing our possible effect on it (less electricity, less a/c and heat, less traveling, less fossil fuels, less water...more efforts to protect the ozone as we understand it today, more renewable energy sources, more recycling, more local produce, etc.). I think it is interesting that specialization, globalization and the booming population of the world are being cited as possible causes for global warming. These particular things are directly related to the progress of mankind, at least in his economic and health terms. Truly, without these developments, it is possible that humans wouldn't have the time and/or resources to devote to global warming whether through researching, protesting, etc. Anyway, the article is below and obviously there are two sides to this intensifying argument.

Chilling Costs of Global Warming
May 31, 2008; Page A10

Mackubin Thomas Owens's op-ed "Blame Congress for High Oil Prices1" ( May 29) is great, except it only touches on how the environmentalists are killing our economy and now people, too.

Congress has bought into the so-called global warming issue despite the fact that 32,000 scientists recently signed a petition stating that man's being the cause of any warming was suspect at best. Even Jupiter warmed up one degree this year. Did we do this?

As a result, we have taken 30% of our corn to make 3% of our fuel. It takes one gallon of gas to make 1/13 gallons of ethanol. Ethanol then burns 80% as efficient for no net gain. But it's cleaner!

So the environmentalists have stopped our exploration for fossil fuels, stopped our expansion of nuclear energy, stopped our production of coal-fired power plants, and now have convinced Congress to turn our food into energy, starving millions.

Global warming is killing people -- they are right -- not by any potential warming, but by starvation and lack of energy.

Peter Holmes
San Antonio