CLIMATE: Trust science over Web

In response to the June 6 column “Climate: A gentleman’s bet offered,” my money is on Mr. Gressler. And more importantly, so is science’s. Overwhelmingly. And now Pope Francis, in his encyclical on the environment, has basically sided with Mr. Gressler. Only I imagine the Pope would ask both men to buy the meal put up for a bet for a poor person here in North Idaho in 2031.

Mr. Sutton recommends “proper research” be done through the Internet, rather, I presume, than peer-reviewed science. I wish he was kidding. The Internet is the home of opinion, not scientific review of the highest caliber as is conducted in the peer review process. It is through that process, conducted by thousands of scientists worldwide over decades now that the major source of global climate change has been established as our burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.

I can’t imagine Mr. Sutton would trust the health of himself or any loved ones to what he reads on the Internet rather than a doctor whose diagnosis and recommendations have been informed through the use of the scientific method and peer review.

BILL IRVING

Hayden