Climate: A gentleman's bet offered

In response to Daniel Gressler's letter published June 3, I agree that we are in a dangerous period of climate change but I do not agree that it is caused primarily by puny humans. It is possible for us to cause pollution and harm to localized areas of our environment but nothing like the catastrophic changes which are coming. We can hardly warm or cool the seas. The question we must ask ourselves is "What is the truth?" In the last few years as more research and interest into the truth has come forward, we now know that much of the "Global Warming" proclamations were faulty at best and often were totally contrived in order to meet an ordained conclusion. That is not scientific work that I am willing to trust.

What I am willing to listen to is solid facts from unbiased scientific research. If one does proper research, much through the internet, the current conclusion is that our climate is affected by several recurring natural cycles. The earth warms and cools from outside factors that we are just beginning to understand. It appears that our sun is one of the major factors as to our warm/cold cycles. It is interesting that the very individuals who demanded we believe in a man made global warming have changed their position to now demand that we believe in man made global climate change.

Let me tell you what I believe will be the climate for the next few decades. The sun has entered into one of its regular periods of relative inactivity. The beginning of this cycle produces unpredictable weather patterns. From this early phase the earth will progress into a general cooling phase which will peak in the 2030s and return to a warmer phase in the 2070s. This is a 206-year cycle that can be reviewed from history. Please review both the Maunder and Dalton Minimums through the Internet. This change has the ability to radically affect our civilization as we have developed during an unprecedented period of global warming. In short, you can't grow the amount of food necessary to feed almost 8 billion humans in a much colder climate with today's technologies. What we should be doing is making very sure of what the truth is because our government must put its research money in a direction that will truly aid us rather than help destroy us.

My bet to Mr. Gressler is this. In 2031 we will meet and whoever is correct will get a good meal from the loser. If I am wrong, then I will gladly pay up a meal because the earth I grew up in will be going along nicely. If Mr. Gressler is wrong it may be hard to buy a meal or find a warm restaurant in which to eat that meal in North Idaho.

Dean Sutton is a Post Falls resident.