Pay attention to facts on climate

I'd like to respond to "Proud to Be a Denier of Global Warming" published in the 'Your Views' section on Jan. 13, 2018. In the letter, the author said that the Democrats' goal is to have you believe climate change and global warming are the same.

I don't think it is anyone's goal to have you believe this. Global warming and climate change are not the same.

Global warming refers to the rise in temperature trends over the entire earth since the early 1970s. Climate change refers to some of the consequences of a warming earth, such as sea level rise, ice mass loss in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland. Also, glaciers are melting at an alarming rate throughout the world. In addition, we are experiencing extreme weather events, such as more frequent and more intense hurricanes, floods, forest fires and droughts.

If you do the research, you will find facts that verify the above claims by going to NASA or NOAA websites or to skeptical science.com.

I know it is scary to face the fact that these changes are occurring. Perhaps it would calm your fears to know that there are solutions to the problem of a warming earth. We can switch to other forms of energy such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, etc.

In the meantime to help incentivize and speed up the transitions to alternative energy, Congress could pass a bill to put a fee on carbon emissions with all revenues going back to households. This would be a free market solution that you might want to suggest Congressman Roskam.

In your letter, you wrote that you hope Congressman Roskam is a global warming denier. I have faith that Peter Roskam has done the research and knows the facts.

Jill Bates

Mundelein