Comments on: Climate Change http://www.yeswecanli.org Long Islanders Spreading Hope and Change Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:32:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Neil Yeoman http://www.yeswecanli.org/energy-and-environment/climate-change/comment-page-1/#comment-2082 Neil Yeoman Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:45:45 +0000 http://www.yeswecanli.org/?page_id=694#comment-2082 Unfortunately, some people haven't gotten the word. One of the actions we need to take is to maximize the use of wind. It is only one part of the solution, but it is an important part. It saddens me to have had to write the letter below to my local newspaper. To Merrick Life: In the October 15 issue of Merrick Life a letter opposing the harnessing of wind energy included the statement " .. wind turbines may not be the best option for New Yorkers." It is a statement I would like to challenge by asking the writer just what he thinks the best option is. No option will ever be perfect. All will have some downsides, although wind does not have nearly the downsides that the writer suggests. Since we are rapidly running out of time to mitigate the effects of climate change (global warming) that the burning of fossil fuels is bringing down on our heads, we have no real option but to use proven technologies to preserve our way of life, and that of generations to come. Wind power is one of those technologies. There is a long history of its successful use, and several more forward looking countries than the US are deriving a significant fraction of their energy from wind. Considering the alternatives, the stated objections to wind, exaggerated as they were, are still relatively insignificant. We must stop opposing that which modern society needs to survive as such. The following is an except from a statement prepared by the American Society for the Advancement of Science which is getting the written endorsement of more and more of the general technical community. "Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. These conclusions are based on multiple independent lines of evidence, and contrary assertions are inconsistent with an objective assessment of the vast body of peer-reviewed science. Moreover, there is strong evidence that ongoing climate change will have broad impacts on society, including the global economy and on the environment. For the United States, climate change impacts include sea level rise for coastal states, greater threats of extreme weather events, and increased risk of regional water scarcity, urban heat waves, western wildfires, and the disturbance of biological systems throughout the country. The severity of climate change impacts is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades." Since wind power is one of very few legitimate options the world has for dealing with the problems we face, opposing the use of wind power, properly deployed, is opposing the good life for the people of the future. Neil Yeoman Unfortunately, some people haven’t gotten the word. One of the actions we need to take is to maximize the use of wind. It is only one part of the solution, but it is an important part. It saddens me to have had to write the letter below to my local newspaper.

To Merrick Life:

In the October 15 issue of Merrick Life a letter opposing the harnessing of wind energy included the statement ” .. wind turbines may not be the best option for New Yorkers.” It is a statement I would like to challenge by asking the writer just what he thinks the best option is. No option will ever be perfect. All will have some downsides, although wind does not have nearly the downsides that the writer suggests. Since we are rapidly running out of time to mitigate the effects of climate change (global warming) that the burning of fossil fuels is bringing down on our heads, we have no real option but to use proven technologies to preserve our way of life, and that of generations to come. Wind power is one of those technologies. There is a long history of its successful use, and several more forward looking countries than the US are deriving a significant fraction of their energy from wind. Considering the alternatives, the stated objections to wind, exaggerated as they were, are still relatively insignificant. We must stop opposing that which modern society needs to survive as such. The following is an except from a statement prepared by the American Society for the Advancement of Science which is getting the written endorsement of more and more of the general technical community.

“Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. These conclusions are based on multiple independent lines of evidence, and contrary assertions are inconsistent with an objective assessment of the vast body of peer-reviewed science. Moreover, there is strong evidence that ongoing climate change will have broad impacts on society, including the global economy and on the environment. For the United States, climate change impacts include sea level rise for coastal states, greater threats of extreme weather events, and increased risk of regional water scarcity, urban heat waves, western wildfires, and the disturbance of biological systems throughout the country. The severity of climate change impacts is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades.”

Since wind power is one of very few legitimate options the world has for dealing with the problems we face, opposing the use of wind power, properly deployed, is opposing the good life for the people of the future.

Neil Yeoman

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