We should reduce carbon emissions

Even if deniers are correct in asserting that there are other causes for the dramatic changes in earth's climate other than human-caused, there are other strong reasons for cutting our carbon emissions dramatically and quickly.

For example, the leading cause of illness and death in China is air pollution from coal-burning power plants, and the costs of such pollution in America is also quite high. We should be more frugal in our energy uses because fossil fuels are diminishing and we are robbing our progeny of its benefits. Most experts say we could save 50-60 percent of the energy we use.

We are at the point where fossil fuel extraction has massive, awful environmental effects, from destroying mountains, poisoning land and air, destroying many species and, in the case of Alberta tar sands, potentially destroying a boreal forest the size of Iowa!

Truly moderate or conservative approaches would push for rapid development of a variety of green energy solutions, creating much-needed economic activity and transforming our sources and uses of precious energy so that our grandchildren might enjoy the quality of life we have.

Robert Sessions

Iowa City