Letters to the editor for Thursday, April 2, 2015

Refuting man-made global warming proponents

The Oceans Ate the Heat, in letters on March 19, is one of dozens of excuses for the pause given by Trenbarth and other proponents of man-made global warming. Oddly, the thing that is supposed to be causing the warming, increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, has continued past their “tipping point” of 350 ppm, to around 400 ppm (so there are 999,600 parts of other things!).

The earth has warmed and cooled, climate has changed throughout the eons, long before the Industrial Revolution brought the advances that make modern life possible. Chief among these advances is affordable electric power, the most affordable produced by coal-fired power plants. Solar and wind power cannot survive without tax and rate payer subsidies, not to mention backup by power from conventional facilities.

Electricity costing 50, 60, 75 cents for a KWH would reduce many families’ ability to afford power. The AP reports the warming in U.S. cities for the last 30 years. Where did they get their data? From NOAA — which has been taken to task for allegations of tampering with weather records, as satellite temperature readings show much less warming than land and ocean-based weather stations. NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center makes the present look warmer by artificially cooling past temperatures to show a warming trend.

Perhaps some people want to live as their ancestors did in the 1500s or 1600s. I certainly don’t. If you think you’d like it — turn off your electric powered devices and lock your car in the garage.

E.C. Cowan

Carson City

Thank you to those who improve our quality of life

It’s great to have so many reasons to be proud of my hometown.

I enjoy being greeted by the attractive signs at the entrances to our valley. I love the ghostly figures along our overpasses and underpasses. Their design honors our history, and they are simply cool!

The new trails that have appeared on the hills surrounding Carson City, courtesy of hundreds of hours of labor by many volunteers, inspire those who venture off the pavement to breathe fresh air and enjoy beautiful views of the valley.

To all who work so hard to improve our quality of life, I say, thank you.

Sandra Koch

Carson City