Thin Ice in the Arctic

My letter to the Valley News (local paper that makes virtually no content available via the Web) appeared Wednesday:

Thin Ice in the Arctic

Thanks for the interview with Jackie Richter-Menge, lead editor of the Arctic Report Card ("Hanover Researcher Writes Report on Arctic Health," Dec. 24).  To Ms. Richter-Menge's comments on global warming and the Arctic, I'd like to add a statistic that is remarkable to me. Detailed measurements of Arctic sea ice have been taken since 1979.  In 2011, the minimum estimated volume of the sea ice was just one-quarter what it was in 1979, and less than half what it was as recently as 2006.  For anyone interested in following the latest findings in climate science, I recommend the excellent Climate Progress and Skeptical Science blogs.  If you're already concerned, Citizens' Climate Lobby is actively pursuing a simple remedy--a gradually increasing national tax on carbon with the proceeds distributed back to individuals as a yearly dividend to all Americans.  This concept is embodied in the Save Our Climate Act, H.R. 3242.  I urge your support.