Debate more than temperature

I have seen dozens of opinion pieces by armchair scientists about the global warming debate. The biggest source of contention appears to be whether human beings are responsible for increasing temperatures. Rising global temperatures are, and should be, only one aspect of the discussion.

For those who have ever lived in a major metropolitan area, there is no debate as to whether human beings are impacting the environment. Even if temperatures never went up a fraction of a degree, nobody wants to breathe smog or have their children grow up with respiratory problems. If anyone has ever visited a city in California, such as Los Angeles or anywhere in the central San Joaquin Valley, you simply need to look out in any direction and the debate ends quickly. Smog is obviously not part of a naturally occurring cycle.

I am dismayed that there are those who think the temperature has to rise before they will either believe in climate change or bother to care. I also constantly read about the financial impact that climate regulations might have. I wonder what the profit margin has to be in order to offset the health of our citizens and the clarity of our air. I challenge everyone today to tell their children why money is more important than clean air. See how it sounds.

Additionally, for those among us that seem to think that environmental legislation is just about rising temperatures, I ask you to please take a deep breath and think again.

STEVE MALDONADO, Cape Girardeau