Letter: Boston's amazing, ominous winter

I'm currently involved in the Energy Independent Vermont campaign to establish a carbon pollution tax in Vermont. This letter, which appeared in the Valley News February 25, is in support of that proposal.

To the editor:

A recent New York Times opinion article described Boston's recent experience as the "winter from hell," with the author adding, "We are being devastated by a slow-motion natural disaster of historic proportions."

While no individual weather event can be attributed directly to global climate change, it's equally true to say that today, no individual weather event is completely unaffected by climate change. Anyone who understands basic physics knows that adding more carbon dioxide, a heat-trapping gas, to the atmosphere will warm our planet. In the case of Boston, this appears to have led to record warm sea temperatures offshore which in turn have made more moisture available for a biblical series of storms--totaling seven feet of snow in a mere three weeks.
With this in mind, it's important to note that Vermont's state legislature is currently considering a proposal that would put a price on carbon pollution in Vermont. More information about this concept, which aims to reduce Vermont's carbon pollution, benefit the state's economy and create jobs while treating low-income Vermonters fairly, is available at energyindependentvt.org.

I hope other Vermonters will join me in supporting this effort to make carbon polluters pay. Global warming threatens our future, and the time to take action is now.

Climate tweets for 21 July 2014

RT Climate Progress @climateprogress:

Wind turbine manufacturer hiring 800 people in Colorado as orders pile up: 

http://thkpr.gs/1sFjY2Q  http://pic.twitter.com/cdN3HB2RHt
[wind energy, wind power, energy, renewable energy]

How much of #Boston would vanish with a 7.5-foot coastal flood:

http://thkpr.gs/1rEbdDr

[sea level, flooding]

Multiple Wildfires Burn Thru Washington, Leaving 1 Dead, Destroying 150 Homes: 
http://thkpr.gs/1rDJNxE
[fire]

How accurate are climate models? A closer look: @dana1981 @guardian: 
http://gu.com/p/4v4kx/tw 
[science]

Opinion: @EPA carbon rules good step for health: @mtstandard: 
http://mtstandard.com/news/opinion/carbon-rules-a-good-step-for-health/article_7e7e7ea2-0fbf-11e4-a357-0019bb2963f4.html
[air pollution]

With Lake Mead sinking, pressure grows for action: @TucsonStar:
http://bit.ly/1n1FTOz
[water, drought]

MT @ClimateNow: Climate Change Already Having Profound Impacts on Lakes in Europe: 
http://bit.ly/1nZFxIC
[science]

RT Andrew Campbell @AndrewCampbell2:
Terrific Canadian article on PMs Abbott & Harper: What do they know that economists don’t?:
http://fw.to/QIo4eGB
[Canada, Australia, denial, carbon tax]

Opinion: Reflecting on climate change upon granddaughter's birth: @njdotcom:
http://s.nj.com/yHToM7R

Utah farmer: If you eat, you care about climate change: @heraldextra:
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/editorial/guest-opinion-if-you-eat-you-care-about-climate-change/article_3710d8d4-f3ad-5126-a73b-80ce0e3e16fb.html
[food, agriculture, water]

MT @ClimateNow: Official Says Jamaica's Drought Intensifying: http://abcn.ws/1nXR5Mh
[water, food, agriculture, Caribbean]

RT Bill McKibben @billmckibben:
Well, I must say: this sure defies the odds. 352 months in a row of above average global temps. What could it be?:
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/world-breaks-monthly-heat-record-2-times-row
[science]

Drought drying up small Central Valley farmers' future: @FresnoBee:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/19/4032162/drought-drying-up-small-farmers.html
[food, farming, agriculture, water, California]

RT Andy Borowitz @BorowitzReport:
Nation Apparently Believed in Science at Some Point 
http://pic.twitter.com/4B9pZiFNSu