We should act now on global warming

Global warming is here. It's having a tremendous impact on the environment; an impact that might not be reversible.

If the world acts soon enough, however, we might be able to stop the worst effects that we've brought upon ourselves. The Kyoto Treaty, for example, is one way of how the nations of our planet are trying to restrict the emissions of harmful substances into our atmosphere. The entire industrialized world signed it, this is, except for the United States.

George W. Bush at first ignored claims of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and its negative impact on the world, and has only recently begun to believe that there "might" be global warming. The United States is one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and the most disgusting part is that we could easily cut down our emissions by following in the footsteps of the countries of Europe, who have been busy trying to switch to alternative energy sources.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is too busy worrying about the impact on its industry, and not that of the environment, to care or do anything about this increasing threat to our planet. If action is not taken soon enough, then it might just be too late for planet Earth.

John Peskind

Batavia High School