This letter to the editor appeared in the 11/16/07 edition of the College Voice.
The debate being played out between Professor Monce and Alex Krogh-Grabbe regarding global warming is quite unsettling. We have had an especially hard time digesting the assertions made by Professor Monce, not because his viewpoint is in the minority, or that it completely contradicts the cause we fight for, or even the chance that he might be right. Professor Monce’s letters scare us because they are void of any alternative solution to global warming. How can we as a human race even attempt to stop solar variation?
What the last couple articles between Professor Monce and Alex have shown is that no scientist is ever 100% certain on anything. But from a political standpoint, we cannot simply ignore a ticking time bomb, especially when only one explanation provides a solution.
But let’s take a step back and assume for a moment that Professor Monce’s assertions are right, and increased CO2 levels are not the main cause of the earth’s warming. If this is the case, would our efforts at lowering CO2 emissions be in vain? The answer is no. At the very least, we as a community will have worked towards countering environmental and economic injustices. Our efforts will have gone towards helping low-income families living near power plants, redistributing the wealth influx generated by oil and motor companies, and producing a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing world. The reduction of CO2 emissions will still benefit the country, regardless of whether CO2 is warming the planet.
If we as a college community take Professor Monce’s opinion as truth and stop our ‘greening’ efforts, we are left vulnerable. What if he is wrong? Of course, the exact repercussions of global warming are not known completely, but can anyone really ignore the images where most of Florida, Boston, the World Trade Center Memorial, and coastal regions of New England are all under water? This is a future we will not accept. We fear that Professor Monce’s do-nothing attitude may have led some people to believe that there is no humanitarian need in shutting off their lights or boycotting the sales of SUVs.
It’s pointless to argue over the root cause of global warming. Instead, we should be focused on doing whatever we can to prevent the irreversible changes to our economy, food supply, population distribution, and standard of living. So until Professor Monce provides some human solution to solar variation, we think we should be acting on the best solution provided to us: reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The best way for us to do this is through efficiency and a strong investment in clean energy. We hope that Professor Monce recognizes the importance of combating CO2 emissions, even if he disagrees with the overwhelming majority of the scientific community about the cause global warming.
-The Renewable Energy Club
