Dear editor,
I’ve read with interest Tom Fletcher’s columns over the past years and find them interesting and informative. It is obvious that Mr. Fletcher has reservations about the generally accepted position that global warming is an issue and is basically caused by the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Mr. Fletcher often quotes learned scientists and professionals that disagree with this popular “fact.” For this Mr. Fletcher often gets pilloried by incensed readers that vehemently disagree with his position and that of his sources. This was evidenced in letters to the editor in the past few weeks. It was refreshing to read a letter from Jane Davies bucking the accepted position and basically agreeing with Mr. Fletcher and his sources. As a former oil patch trucker and successful farmer in NW Alberta I was more or less “on the fence” for years but I must confess that I am leaning towards the contrarian side: i.e. I could be branded a climate skeptic but not the type that participates in placard carrying demonstrations. I’ve heard lectures by Dr. Tim Ball in Edmonton at FarmTech 2003 and then a few years ago at ElderCollege here in Courtenay. On both occasions he presented logical arguments disputing the accepted global warming theory.
Another “contrarian” is Patrick Moore who used to be a rabid member of the Green Peace organization. Now, an older wiser man, he has exhumed his science-based university education, examined the facts, and has emerged a global warming skeptic. Mr. Moore delivered a lecture in 2015 entitled “The Sensible Environmentalist” (Google it if you are interested in viewing the presentation).
One point made was that over the past 65 million years there is no correlation between levels of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and global temperature. This data was obtained from geological evidence. I have yet to hear any of the experts try to explain this discrepancy. He said that CO2 is not a toxic pollutant but is “the gas of life.” Plants thrive in a high CO2 environment which is why growers add supplemental carbon dioxide to their greenhouses.
In my opinion, the “jury is still out” about climate change and we should not get too hasty in establishing an irrevocable position, perhaps wasting a lot of public and private money and resources. Remember, 500+ years ago, the learned scientific community at that time believed that the Earth was flat. It took a maverick by the name of Christopher Columbus to prove them wrong.
Len Paulovich
Courtenay
