Climate change is real, man-made

We know that climate change denial reports and info being pumped out of many media sources is paid for by millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industries. Coal, oil, and natural gas are big businesses. They have the money, but we have the people. I read that more than 70 percent believe that climate change is at least in part man-made.

Most of us are aware that volcanoes and cows and human beings produce CO. The problem with the climate comes from the fossil fuels that we use to support our lifestyle. The U.S. now pumps out 9 billion tons of CO into the atmosphere every year. Nature has been in sync with what we breathe, and with the cows burping and even the volcanoes out there. But since the Industrial Revolution we have been adding more CO than the earth can absorb and use. Check out the website www.350.org for more info and graphs and the simple truth.

“Connect the dots” they say at 350.org. Here’s a “dot.” Since 1980 climate events — namely extreme temps, drought and forest fires — have increased 250 percent. A coincidence? Here’s another “dot.” Since 1980 rising temperatures are producing 165 percent more frequent and fiercer storms.

Last but not least are disastrous fires that have increased 450 percent in the U.S. alone since 1950, and 250 percent in Europe, and 200 percent in Asia, but only 100 percent in Africa in that time period.

Thousands of scientists and more than 6,000 peer reviewed reports went into the Fourth International Panel on Climate Change report that concluded with more than over 90 percent accuracy that climate change is man-made. Connect the dots yourself. Come to the Elgin Green Expo May 5 at the Rec Centre and get going with all the climate change solutions out there! “Connect the dots” and connect to the solutions.

Sandra Kaptain

Elgin