Stowsentry.com - Letter: Science not proved by a consensus

In a May 4 Letter to the Editor, the writer says consensus makes science. Consensus is merely agreement of opinion -- not fact. Climate change and global warming should be presented as opinion, with opinions from both sides of the debate, especially when presented to vulnerable and impressionable children.

Assuming that the Earth is warming, two questions arise. The first is: "Is that harmful?" The second is: "What caused it and is there anything we can do about it?"

I would argue that warming temperatures will make more of the world agriculturally productive, more of the world amenable to enjoyment (most of us vacation in warmer climates), conserve expenses on clothing, heating (it is easier to live without air conditioning than without heat, gasoline, food, housing, maintaining roads, health care, etc.).

In answer to the second question, ask, "What caused the glaciers to recede from Ohio and elsewhere, then advance and recede again and recycle again 70,000, 80,000 and 100,000 years ago?" Certainly there were no human actions, no fossil fuel burning, no incandescent light bulbs, no SUVs, etc.

If there is global warming and climate change, I do not believe that it is man-made or that man has the ability to prevent or control it. Why is Mars experiencing global warming? Since when did humans become so almighty that we can alter nature and exert controls on her, when we cannot even move the clouds, or stop or start rain, or avert a storm, or predict tomorrow's weather?

I believe we should allow our children to hear both sides.

Vijay Rastogi

Munroe Falls