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To the editor:
The Nov. 17, 'Beef is a way of life' said: "Well-managed grazing on perennial grasslands is our best and maybe our only hope of helping to mitigate climate change."
Actually, water vapor is the greatest greenhouse gas, comprising 1% to 3% of gasses in the atmosphere. Man-made CO2 is only about 0.0016%, and man-made methane is only about 0.00012% of the atmosphere. Over the last 15 years I have yet see a sensible explanation on how these micro-portions of methane and CO2 can jerk our weather systems around when the oceans contain 50 times more CO2 than the atmosphere total and over 1,200 times more CO2 than man-made CO2. Heat the ocean up, 'then' a rise in CO2 emissions follows. 'not' the other way around. A rise in CO2 actually helps plants use less water; (a 'plus' for farmers in times of drought.)
The April 2014 issue of Scientific American said reducing the particles ejected into the atmosphere by coal-fired power plants, could result in not enough of the sun's heating rays being blocked. Now its verified in the July 22, 2022 & Aug 8, 2023 issues of AAAS 'Science'. Satellite data is telling us that the reduction of sulfate and nitrate particles since 2000 is not reflecting as much sunlight back into space, thereby contributing to global warming.
It seems to me this is simply copying Ma Nature when she blasts sulfates into the atmosphere to cool things down. (Witness the 1816 "year without summer" that followed the Mount Tambora eruption in 1815.) Phasing out coal fired power plants and requiring low sulfur fuel to be burned in ocean-going ships is actually contributing to global warming. Maybe someone should re-evaluate that 'certificate of need' proposal to build new power lines which will allow shutting down the Sherco coal fired plant in Becker.
How ironic that the anti-fossil fuel folks end up fueling global warming and hurting agriculture.
Phil Drietz
Delhi