Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Abel needs to do more research

Thank you for relocating Dan Abel's column to the Opinion page from the Outdoor section. I began reading his columns to help myself better understand the environmental issues. Unfortunately, I have found that his columns consist of his opinions and disparage any who disagree with his opinions. As he is employed as an educator, I expected discussion and fact. Rather than convince me of the validity of his cause, he has made me more cynical and questioning of his opinions.

Dan says if we don't act now, our ecosystems may be irreversibly altered or may even perish, disease will likely spread, weather events will became more extreme, and millions of coastal residents will became refugees from rising sea level

I note that what formerly was known as the global warming crisis has now become the global climate change crisis. I guess that's because the global temperatures have been falling for the past six years. The Arctic ice has been melting, but why is the Antarctic ice pack increasing? Polar bears are classified as endangered, but why is their population count increasing? The planet Earth has been through six ice ages, so by extension followed by a warming period, none of which received any contribution by humankind. How does the wobble in the Earth's axis affect us?

Dan says, "Evolution is a scientific fact; creationism is a religious belief." Dan, what are the scientific facts explaining where the lightning, seawater, and chemicals came from to form the one-celled organism that you evolved from? We agree that the planet we call home has constantly changed and will continue to change. We disagree on the degree that the human race is capable of affecting that change. You might want to get cranked up on stopping continental drift. Imagine what will happen when all the continents come slamming back together again.

The writer lives in Myrtle Beach.