30 Fairmont Park Lane S
Lethbridge, AB
T1K 7H7
Phone: (403) 328-1804
Sunday, January 23, 2005
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge
AB, T1J 3Z7
Dear Editor,
Clive Schaupmeyer’s letter on climate change is a breath of fresh air. (Climate change is natural, 05/01/22, A6) Canadians hear far too little from those who are justifiably skeptical of the mad rush to implement the Kyoto accord.
His letter establishes the clear distinction between water and air pollution and the carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning thought by some to be a primary cause of global warming.
Sadly, many organizations have worked hard to blur that distinction between pollution and carbon dioxide. They would like Canadians to think that controlling pollution and carbon dioxide are one and the same. They are not. There are many polluting substances released by human activity which can be directly harmful to the wellbeing of humans and the broader environment even in small quantities. Carbon dioxide, the focus of Kyoto, is not one of those. Carbon dioxide, like water, is an essential component of the cycle of life on earth. The modest increase, from human activity, of carbon dioxide naturally present in earth’s atmosphere has no direct effect on the health of humans and the environment.
Why would any organization want to link global warming and carbon dioxide to pollution? They are simply seeking to establish broad political support for the dubious objective of the Kyoto agenda. No one is in favor of pollution. Convincing Canadians that support of Kyoto is synonymous with cleaning up pollution establishes that political support. Sadly, opinion polls show the propaganda campaign has been successful.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast