Letters to The Editor: November 11-17, 2021

The Editor:

When I read Professor Harrell’s article in the October 21-27 edition regarding the “Challenges of Climate Change,” I think of the person who keeps crying wolf.

Professor Harrell argues we should immediately move to an all-electric future heavily dependent on solar and wind for that electricity. Don’t emulate California. What happens when the sun does not shine, and the wind does not blow? Battery storage? Really? Solar and wind have their place but not as primary sources. Hydro-electric power provides a reliable and clean source of electricity, but many people want the dams dismantled. Nowhere does he mention nuclear power for generating electricity. There is no way to electrify everything without nuclear power. It is safe and dependable. The hurdles for nuclear power are political not technical.

I have read the proposed Climate Action Plan and there are many assumptions for what the climate will do over the next 30-40 years. Most of which will not come true. There is already talk of “Global cooling based on the greening of the planet” (planting of trees). You know it is not a serious plan when you include the word “equity” and don’t discuss nuclear power.

The creation of the Whatcom County Office of Climate Action is another bureaucracy we do not need. It will not solve anything but grow in size/budget and increase the costs of living and of doing
business.

Germany has gone green in a big way and it is a disaster. Look it up. Remember last winter when Texas froze, it was due to overreliance on green energy.

The hot temperatures from the summer may be the hottest we have seen but we’ve only recorded temperatures for the last 150 years so who knows how hot it has been here over the millennia.

To sum it all up, climate change is always going on but you must reject climate change hysteria. There are simple and easy things we can do to keep our environment and economy healthy without “destroying it in order to save it.”

Please do not be a lemming following the Climate Change Piper off the cliff.

Mike Harkleroad

Blaine