Too Much Smog on CO2

The Virginian-Pilot
© July 6, 2009

Too much smog on CO2

The cap-and-trade bill passed by the U.S. House is generally based on the 'science' that the world must curb carbon dioxide emissions or face the consequences of global warming.

I'm not arguing the Earth isn't warming and that CO2 levels aren't rising. As an environmentalist, I'm concerned that the focus on CO2 a clear, odorless gas that we exhale, which is essential to all plant life has taken our eyes off other issues like toxins, soil erosion, animal waste runoff, ocean pollution, species loss, heavy metals, trace pharmaceutical drugs in our water supply, etc. It would be tragic to see the latter list of issues mar our planet (and therefore our lives) irreversibly while we continue to debate and legislate a single focal point: CO2.

Cap and trade is serious, long-lasting legislation that will adversely impact everyone's wallet. The bill declares that CO2 emissions must be curbed through taxation to spur development of alternate sources of renewable, non-CO2-emitting energy sources in order to save the planet.

In consideration of other pollution woes and the cost of implementing cap and trade, I believe working to fully understand what caused the last four climate changes on Earth makes more sense than proclaiming CO2 guilty; new evidence suggests it may in fact be an innocent bystander.

David Beemer
Virginia Beach