Denier? Alarmist? Truth is we need more research

Concerning Earth Day, there are several points I believe need to be considered.

First, the first Earth Day was concerned with climate change. The consensus among climate scientists was we were headed into a new Ice Age and mankind needed to respond immediately to that threat.

Second, while Rachel Carson exposed real problems with the use of pesticides, the resulting unavailability of DDT caused many additional deaths from mosquito-borne diseases, particularly malaria in the Third World.

Third, one of the suggested possible causes of the 15-year-long plateau in global temperature rise is the aerosol and particulate pollution caused by Asian countries, including China and India. Does this mean by scrubbing American utility and factory stack emissions to remove soot and acids, we hastened global warming?

The complex energy transfer system that is the world's climate is not yet sufficiently understood to justify many of the assertions by climate alarmist and deniers. I am a skeptic in the sense that I believe much more research is needed and the existing body research needs a thorough and unbiased review before we commit to actions that may be disruptive or counter productive.

The increased quest for understanding should be the true message of Earth Day.

Mark W. Bailey

Round Lake Beach