By Rep Jim Ott, Wisconsin

Meteorologist and State Representative Jim Ott announced today that he will be releasing a weekly report on global warming. “The amount of material on global warming is so overwhelming,” said Ott, “that as a service to our readers I will be highlighting some of the more interesting global warming developments.  This will be especially important as attempts to introduce global warming legislation in Wisconsin are expected in the near future.”

In this inaugural issue we will review some of the outrageous and possibly dangerous ideas of those who feel we must “fight” global warming now. Last April, Science magazine online reported that a proposed plan to inject sulfur compounds into the atmosphere in an attempt to mimic volcanic activity could actually damage the Earth’s ozone layer.  The particles would supposedly block sunlight in an effort to cool the Earth’s temperature.  As far as we know, there are no immediate plans to actually conduct such an experiment. 

In January, it was reported that a group of scientists from Germany and India spread six tons of iron sulphate powder over a 100 square mile area of the Antarctic Ocean.  This experiment was done in an attempt to cause a massive algae bloom.  These scientists believe the algae will remove carbon dioxide from the air and then sink to the bottom of the ocean. 

Did anyone conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment?  How might clogging the oceans with algae affect marine life?  How much of the oceans would the researchers want to ultimately treat if they felt their experiment was a success?  What other effects might iron sulphate have on the environment?  Apparently the answers to these questions don’t matter if you are fighting global warming.

As a high school student in the 1960’s, I recall writing a term paper that questioned some of the outlandish ideas of how man might control the weather.  The concern then was that the Earth was cooling, so schemes such as spreading coal dust over the arctic snow pack to melt it earlier in the spring, and orbiting large mirrors in space to reflect more sunlight to the earth were proposed.  Today, some suggest orbital mirrors to actually deflect sunlight away from the Earth. 

As far as we know, such warming experiments were never conducted as climate scientists began to accept that changing one part of the Earth’s climate could have unforeseen consequences in other areas.  Unfortunately, these sorts of plans have now returned.  If the algae experiment is any indication, global warming proponents are willing to try anything in their hysterical fear the planet is warming. 

As a meteorologist, I oppose any attempts to alter the Earth’s climate with experiments that will be ineffectual at best and dangerous at worst.  The United Nations should act immediately to stop this nonsense and individual nations should show respect for the Earth’s climate system, about which science still has a lot to learn.  I will keep you informed as similar ideas are proposed.  In next week’s edition:  Is there really scientific consensus when it comes to global warming?

See first report here.