Warmer oceans, cities show climate change

During August, The Gazette provided extensive reporting of the amounts of rainfall Eastern Iowa received. One important news item I did not see in the newspaper was from the Associated Press, which reported that, for July, the world's oceans had the highest water temperature in 130 years of record-keeping. The average water temperature worldwide was 62.6 degrees - 1.1 degrees higher than the 20th-century average. Events such as this have wide-ranging consequences, such as more Arctic ice melt and rising sea levels.

As global average temperature continues to increase, the climate is changing, including weather patterns, precipitation patterns, and the ranges of plants, insects and animals.

While Iowa has been cool and wet this summer, many other places in the world (Seattle, Portland, British Columbia, Texas, Bulgaria, etc.) have experienced unprecedented warm weather.

We need to get serious about global warming and climate change. We need Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin to support the American Climate and Energy Security Act. We need to use energy more efficiently, make greater use of renewable energy, and all do our part as consumers and citizens to prevent irreversible catastrophic climatic change.

Frank Olsen

Cedar Rapids