Where does carbon dioxide really come from?

My good friend, Cecil Hathaway, sent me a very interesting article in early July concerning the actual sources of carbon dioxide written by Ian Ruther-ford Plimer.

Professor Plimer is an Australian geologist, professor emeritus of earth sciences at the University of Melbourne, professor of mining geology at the University of Adelaide and the respected director of multiple mineral exploration and mining companies. Plimer has published 130 scientific papers, six books and edited the popular Encyclopedia of Geology. He has won many awards, including the Eureka Prize twice, in 1995 and 2002, the Centenary Medal in 2003 and the Clarke Medal in 2004.

I'm going to print Professor Plimer's recent paper in its entirety in order not to take anything out of context. Enjoy ... I believe that Plimer is 'right on target' in his summations on the sources of carbon dioxide. Here goes ...

"Okay, here's the bombshell. Take the recent volcanic eruption on Iceland for example. Since its first spewing of volcanic ash, it has, in just FOUR DAYS, NEGATED EVERY SINGLE EFFORT you have made in the past five years to control CO2 emissions on our planet - all of you.

Of course, you know about this evil carbon dioxide that we are trying to suppress - it's that vital chemical compound that every plant requires to live and grow and to synthesize into oxygen for us humans and all animal life. I know ... it's very disheartening to realize that all of the carbon emission savings you have accomplished while suffering the inconvenience and expense of driving Prius hybrids, buying fabric grocery bags, sitting up til midnight to finish your kids "The Green Revolution" science project, throwing out all of your non-green cleaning supplies, using only two squares of toilet paper, putting a brick in your toilet tank reservoir, selling your SUV and speedboat, vacationing at home instead of aboard, nearly getting hit every day on your bicycle, replacing all of your 50 cent light bulbs with $10.00 light bulbs ... well, all of those things you have done have all gone down the tubs in just four days.

The volcanic ash emitted into the Earth's atmosphere in just four days - yes FOUR DAYS - by that volcano in Iceland has totally erased every single effort you have made to reduce the evil beast, carbon. And there are around 200 active volcanoes on the planet spewing out this crud at any one time - EVERY DAY.

I don't really want to rain on your parade too much, but I should mention that when the volcano Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it spewed out more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in all its years on earth.

Yes, folks, Mt. Pinatubo was active for over one year - think about it.

Of course, I shouldn't spoil this 'touchy-feely tree-hugging' moment and mention the effect of solar and cosmic activity and the well-recognized 800-year global heat and cooling cycle, which keeps happening despite our completely insignificant efforts to affect climate change.

And I do wish I had a silver lining to this volcanic ash cloud, but the fact of the matter is that the brush fire season across the western USA and Australia this year alone will negate your efforts to reduce carbon in our world for the next two to three years. And it happens every year.

Just remember that your government just tried to impose a whopping carbon tax on you, on the basis of the bogus 'human-caused' climate-change scenario. Hey, isn't it interesting how they don't mention 'Global Warming' anymore, but just 'Climate Change' - you know why?

It's because the planet has COOLED by 0.7 degrees in the past century and these global warming bull artists got caught with their pants down.

And, just keep in mind that you might yet have an Emissions Trading Scheme - that whopping new tax - imposed on you that will achieve absolutely nothing except make you poorer.

It won't stop any volcanoes from erupting, that's for sure.

But, hey, relax ... give the world a hug and have a nice day!"

Thank you, Professor Plimer. You've SAID IT ALL! Cliff Harris.

NORTH IDAHO WEATHER REVIEW AND LONG-RANGE OUTLOOKS

Friday was expected to be the 11th day in a row with hot 'Sholeh Days' at or above 90 degrees in the Coeur d'Alene area. July 2013 has been the seventh warmest July on record since at least 1895 in town. This week saw several stations, including Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Fernan Lake soar to near-record highs of 97 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday. There have been 17 days since late June with highs of 90 degrees or warmer. By mid September, we should easily top our predicted 2013 total of 25 'Sholeh Days.'

Except for some brief thunderstorms on July 8 and 17, the month of July, by Friday the 26th, had enjoyed nearly 300 hours of brilliant sunshine, averaging more than 11 hours a day. Spokane had been rainless since late June.

Our extended weather outlook for at least the next six weeks into mid September calls for more warm to hot and dry weather with only a few scattered thunderstorms, mostly over the mountains to the east-northeast.

We should be taking full advantage of all the nice weather this beautiful summer season, because things by October and November may turn much cooler and wetter due to a chilly 'La Nina' sea-surface temperature event building in the eastern Pacific Ocean waters. A snowier than usual winter of 2013-14 is also likely if the cool La Nina doesn't fall apart prematurely. We'll have more details later.

Cliff Harris is a climatologist who writes a weekly column for The Press. His opinions are his own. Email sfharris@roadrunner.com