American Environment

Great article on the American environment in the WSJ by Peter du Pont.
Despite what you might think, the environment is actually IMPROVING.

"Since 1970, the year of the first Earth Day, America's population has increased by 42%, the country's inflation-adjusted gross domestic product has grown 195%, the number of cars and trucks in the United States has more than doubled, and the total number of miles driven has increased by 178%.
But during these 35 years of growing population, employment, and industrial production, the Environmental Protection Agency reports, the environment has substantially improved. Emissions of the six principal air pollutants have decreased by 53%. Carbon monoxide emissions have dropped from 197 million tons per year to 89 million; nitrogen oxides from 27 million tons to 19 million, and sulfur dioxide from 31 million to 15 million. Particulates are down 80%, and lead emissions have declined by more than 98%. "

Forest acres - up over 9 million acres. So are bald eagles populations & acres of wetlands.

Of course, the scare tactics of the enironmental crowd (not to say that there are not problems at all) are focused on the evil of carbon dioxide -- supposed culprit of "global warming". But much of what warming there is can actually be attributed to that great big ball of fire in the sky the planet orbits.

"Climate Science study concludes that "computer models consistently project a rise in temperatures over the past century that is more than twice as high as the measured increase." The National Center for Atmospheric Research's prediction of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit warming is more accurate. In short, the world is not warming as much as environmentalists think it is.
What warming there is turns out to be caused by solar radiation rather than human pollution. The Climate Change study concluded "half the observed 20th century warming occurred before 1940 and cannot be attributed to human causes," and changes in solar radiation can "account for 71 percent of the variation in global surface air temperature from 1880 to 1993."

Aha! There is some warming, and that will cause the sea levels to rise and cause a widespread flooding catasrophe, right? Millions will be flooded out of coastal areas and famine will result! Wrong.

"The U.N.'s IPCC Third Assessment Report concluded that the rate of sea level rise has not accelerated during the last century, which is supported by U.S. coastal sea level experience. In California sea levels have risen between zero and seven millimeters a year and between 2.1 and 2.8 millimeters a year in North and South Carolina. "

Oops. So if the sea levels aren't rising, and the CO2 level isn't causing warming, WHERE WILL MY NEXT RESEARCH GRANT COME FROM?