Oceans keep Earth habitable. Climate change is wrecking them
To the editor: If all the surplus warmth from greenhouse gases was absorbed by the ambiance, Earth’s common temperature on land could be larger than 120 levels Fahrenheit. Happily, oceans take in 25% of the carbon dioxide emitted into the ambiance and 90% of the surplus warmth, permitting life to outlive on Earth. (“July was the planet’s hottest month on file — to date,” Aug. 15)
Nonetheless, this dissolved carbon dioxide has made the oceans 30% extra acidic. This wreaks havoc on plankton and crustaceans. Larger temperatures trigger extra water to evaporate, and water vapor is a stronger greenhouse gasoline than carbon dioxide. This has resulted within the hottest July in recorded historical past.
Temperatures all around the world are at file ranges. Since Might, wildfires have burned greater than 47,000 sq. miles in Canada. Lahaina in Hawaii and Paradise in California have burned to the bottom. Coral reefs are dying all around the world. Glacial ice and permafrost are melting quicker than ever.
5 a long time in the past, Earth whispered her warnings to cease burning fossil fuels, and we didn’t pay attention. Earth is now shouting her closing warning to cease what we’re doing or else.
Phil Beauchamp, Chino Hills
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To the editor: I grew up within the ’50s, listening to tales of how People rose to the meet the challenges of World Battle II.
Local weather change is the equal of World Battle II, solely the stakes are even larger.
Claims that we will’t meet the Biden administration’s emissions targets as a result of crimson states would possibly sue or it might be too tough don’t minimize it. Catastrophic modifications are already occurring on the planet.
Within the Sixties we went to the moon, not as a result of it was simple, however as a result of it was exhausting. We are able to do that.
Lorraine Woodman, Santa Barbara
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To the editor: The abundance of local weather articles within the wake of the devastating fires on Maui ought to amplify the wake-up name to these in energy.
The time to carry again is gone. We are able to’t simply sit by till the subsequent Democratic-led authorities passes further local weather laws, or wait for firms or the right-wing Supreme Court docket to reverse course.
What we do have is company. To fly much less, drive smaller automobiles, eat much less beef, unplug electronics, minimize plastic use. There are 1,000,000 methods to chop carbon dioxide emissions, right this moment, on a private stage.
Asking Californians to preserve water has gotten outcomes. The place are the calls from all ranges of presidency, the media and utilities to sacrifice?
For many years now the suggestion that anybody would possibly want to surrender something for the local weather has been heresy. However voluntarily or not, all of us have been or quickly will probably be pressured to make sacrifices. One have a look at Lahaina tells us that’s true.
Judy Pang, Palos Verdes Estates
