Saving the world, one unnecessary jet flight at a time

From today's "Climate Capsule," e-mailed here by the National Wildlife Fund:

Pelosi Visits Warming Arctic
Ahead of next week’s Group Eight Summit , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a congressional delegation to Greenland.

Pelosi reported that her delegation “ saw firsthand evidence that climate change is a reality; there is just no denying it. It wasn’t caused by the people of Greenland, it was caused by the behavior of the rest of the world .” According to scientists, the amount of ice released from Greenland has increased dramatically in recent years.

While in Greenland, Pelosi also met with Germany’s Environment Minister, Sigmar Gabriel. Gabriel and Pelosi agree that industrialized nations must take joint responsibility for global warming pollution.

My question is, how did they get there? By jet? Do they have any idea how much more greenhouse pollution a jet generates than teleconferencing does? So we have to destroy the environment so we can agree to save it?

###

While we're on the subject, Vivian Stockman of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition sent me a link to a story in today's New York Times about efforts to acquire supersize federal subsidies for coal-to-liquid plants. Click on the graphic and see how much greenhouse gases these things could put out.

As I've said before, I'm a skeptic on global warming. I have no doubt that the earth could be getting warmer, but I resist the idea that mankind is totally responsible for it. There are too many natural causes to consider. And I resent statements such as, "The debate is over." Sounds way too domineering for my taste.

However, having said that, I see no reason to greatly increase the amount of pollution we put into the air, soil and water unless there is a much greater increase to the public good. I grew up in a house heated by wood and coal. Electricity is better.

We need some alternate fuel production for national defense if for no other reason. I am willing to deal with the pollution from a couple of coal-to-liquid plants if they will keep the planes, ships, trains and trucks moving in a national emergency. We must be self-sufficient in some industries: steel, food, medicine and energy among them.

I'm not that concerned whether the liquid fuel comes from coal or cellulose, but we need it.