WARMING: Heed words of real experts

There’s something special about the love between grandparents and their grandkids.

It’s no different for James Hansen and his wife, Anniek.

They have three grandchildren: Sophie, age 9, Connor, 4, and Jake, 2.  Dr. Hansen is director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.  He is one of the world’s foremost experts on global warming.

After Sophie was born, Dr. Hansen showed her picture during his talks on global warming, out of “pride in a young lady who had become an angel in our lives.”  But gradually, because of his grandchildren “and my knowledge of what they would face” he began to persist in pointing out the science behind global warming and its relevance to policy.

He has been asked to testify before Congress many times, given numerous talks, and now has written his first book: Storms of my Grandchildren.

Dr. Hansen is an Independent, voting both Republican and Democrat. He is openly critical of both parties and a political system tainted by special interests.

Hansen says the evidence of human activity driving global warming is “overwhelming.” As temperatures rise and the amount of water vapor the air can hold increases, the strongest storms will become more powerful this century. When that water vapor condenses, it releases heat that is available to fuel storms, increase rainfall and the magnitude of floods. Hurricanes will intensify with warmer sea surfaces. 

Business as usual will cause a climate catastrophe. For the love of our grandchildren, let us pay heed to someone who knows what we all face.

BILL IRVING

Hayden