Dear Listers,

The discussion about Conus granulatus and the state of coral reefs
coincided with receiving an email from a North Carolina environmental
group (NC Waste Awareness & Reduction Network). They sent a synopsis of
scientific findings in the recent news:

*FINAL PROOF: Rapid Warming Caused by Human Activity. "We've got a
serious problem -- The debate now is what are we going to do about it?"
*Tipping Point in 10 Years? The world could soon reach the point of no
return toward disastrous changes.
*Greenland Ice Melting 10 Times Faster Than Thought. "There is no doubt
that something very major is happening here."
*Antarctic Melting Could Cause Sea Level Surge: Glaciers along the West
Antarctic Ice Sheet are melting eight times faster than in the 1990s.
*Arctic study reveals profound changes: Nearly 300 scientists concluded
the Arctic is now experiencing some of the most rapid and severe
climate change on Earth.
*Spike in CO2 Is Cause for Concern could be the start of a runaway
greenhouse effect.
*Steep Decline in Amphibians Shocks Scientists: has taken the
scientific world completely by surprise."
*A Ticking Time Bomb in the Deep Ocean? Frozen methane from the ocean
floor could lead to a rapid increase in greenhouse warming.
*Fifty-fifty Chance of Abrupt Climate Change due to the Gulf Stream
shutting down.
*2004 Sets World Weather Records Again


For more detail on these items:
http://www.ncwarn.org/PowerReduction/global_climate_crisis.htm

Here's an observation that deserves consideration: media coverage that
presents a "balanced discussion" of climate change by giving equal time
to skeptics does a disservice in the sense that the public is being
lulled into believing scientists are evenly divided on this matter.
They are not.

In any case, we can't afford waiting around for further proof with such
high stakes. The burden of proof should really be on the polluters and
business-as-usual policymakers.

David Kirsh
Durham, NC

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