To the editor:
On Saturday, June 8, I sat in the bright sun enjoying most of the speeches given at the ConVal commencement.
I was the only person to give a standing ovation to the high school teacher that spoke on the topic of global climate change. I was the outcast that stood and gave her a standing ovation. Why? Climate change is real. How do I know this? Historical data clearly states the climate around the earth has changed over the millennia, so why do we have people believing that our long-term climate is steady-state? It has always changed and it will continue to do so.
The climate of New Hampshire is characterized by cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Temperatures in New Hampshire have increased approximately 3°F since the beginning of the 20th century. That is what you might call change.
Now I am as politically independent as they come, and I despise politics. I do not think the liberal left really knows how human life will end on this planet; news alert – one day it will.
I do not think the conservative right is justified in denying the potential repercussions of global climate change. It seems as though we have fallen into subhuman bipartisan politics over an issue that transcends state and federal laws.
However, what I do know is we are collectively arguing over whether or not to err on the side of caution.
The deniers of global climate change are choosing to not give the scientists the benefit of the doubt; that their predictions might be correct and result in serious natural consequences.
What would happen to our civilization if we did not give the benefit of the doubt on many an occasion? No matter where you fall in the political spectrum if the weatherman says there is a chance of rain you bring an umbrella.
However, nowadays if the weatherman says the climate might change – you call him snowflake. Hello! Earth-to-humanity. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s a reality of moderate risk with large implications.
Kevin Goohs
Peterborough