A recent PBS special about Earth Emergency gives a good explanation about tipping points. You hear numerous scientists, most looking depressed and some on the edge of tears, talking about feedback loops in nature e.g. as more greenhouse gasses are released in the atmosphere the planet heats up and this causes even more carbon to be released from melting permafrost and increased bacterial activity in lake bottoms. There are many examples. One scientist says it is like driving 60 miles an hour down a road through dense fog knowing there is a cliff in front of you but not knowing where. He argues that we need to take our foot off of the accelerator and stop dumping waste into the atmosphere. He means we need to stop using fossil fuels.

Scientists have known this for years but the politicians and the media have not listened. Scientists should have been marching in the streets but that is not their way, so instead they debate when the tipping point will occur. There is no way to know for sure so we need to stop using fossil fuels now. This is hard for the average American to do (although technically possible) so citizens need to force the government to act. Tell Sens. Collins and King and Reps. Pingree and Golden that you want them to pass a carbon price now to protect the planet and do it in the form of a carbon cashback program so that you can afford it.

Nancy Hasenfus,
Brunswick

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