Letter: This is not 'natural'

I have a simple suggestion for anyone wondering about how "natural" the extreme droughts, floods, fires and temperatures the entire planet is experiencing are. Please read NASA's discussion of how planet Earth has changed throughout history at https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/. You will find that the current warming is happening at an unprecedented pace and that it is unequivocally due to human use of fossil fuels.

Yes, there are natural cycles that cause ice ages and warmer periods, but these are very slow changes known as Milankovitch Cycles caused by slight variations in how much sun reaches the earth over thousands of years. Current changes in Earth's temperature are happening way faster than these cycles could possibly cause.

Don't be misled by "changing climate goal posts" or questions such as "what is the correct temperature." The answer is simple: the correct temperature is the lowest one that we can achieve by gradually weaning civilization off of fossil fuels. Failure to act will cost far more than actions to rein in greenhouse gas generation. Evidence of climate change and its costs are everywhere you look. Don't close your eyes.

Thomas Rausch

Glen Ellyn