History of global warming

Your July 3, 6, and 8 issues have had several letters by Larry Bauer, Allan Walker, Robert Freeman Jr. and Gary Vogt (and possibly others since those dates) of different opinions about "global warming or climate change" being fact or fiction and blaming CO2 emissions as being the cause. However, all seem to totally ignore "world history" about the not so well-known fact that the world has experienced two "global warming and-or climate change" cycles in the past 2,000 years due to solar activity.

The more recent one was from about 900 A.D. to 1900 A.D. (Possibly 1918 A.D.). As the U.S. Weather Service was only started in about 1875 with 20 reporting stations located in Army locations having telegraph service to Washington, D.C. The winter of 1918 may have been the coldest recorded since its start.

It seems to have started about 900 A.D. with the melting of glaciers on Iceland and Greenland. It is well known from more recent history, that the Vikings from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, in their small open sail boats, crossed the North Atlantic, as storms had abated, and they established settlements around the coasts of both and started farms on lands exposed from the retreating glaciers, bringing sheep, goats and cattle from their European home lands. In no way was it caused by CO2 emissions!

Due to the fact no trees existed on either island, in 1000 to 1100 A.D., they sailed further west and south to the northeast tip of Newfoundland, Canada. Now Canada has a national park there known as the "L'Anse aux National Historic Site" and noted that in 1100 A.D., the sea level was from 1/2 to 1 meter (20 inches to 40 inches) higher than present sea levels. This was due to worldwide glacier meltings.

Then from 1300 to 1400 A.D., there was a 100-year transition period to global cooling and the start of the "Little Ice Age" from 1400 to 1900 (possibly 1918). Then the 100-year transition time of 1900 to 2000 (2018?).

During the year 2000, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper had a brief article stating that in 1900, the average American farmer fed himself and three other people. While in 2000, the average American fed himself and 100 others in the U.S. plus 38 overseas! Also, about 2004, an author wrote a book stating that the 60 years between 1942 and 2002 saw more advances in worldwide civilization than was seen in the previous 6,000 years. So the big question arises -- Has global warming of these past two weather change cycles been a blessing in disguise for world civilizations?

A "thread of thinking" seems to run through most of the letters that the government should take action to control global warming, which is likely to last the next 400 years. But is it not too much to expect of our incompetent politicians in Washington, D.C., that can't pass a balanced budget or enforce laws pertaining to illegal immigrants?

Phillip A. Marak

Hot Springs

Editorial on 07/25/2014

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