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Reader’s Report: There are two sides to the climate change controversy.

January 18, 2020

3 Min Read
flooded cornfield
SEASONAL EXTREMES: Climatologists indicate a period of seasonal extremes is underway. Most making those reports don’t hint at causes.

Dave Nanda writes the Breeder’s Journal column for Indiana Prairie Farmer magazine and the website. Last fall he wrote a column titled How can you help reduce global climate change? which ran in the January 2020 issue on Page 24 with the headline “How carbon dioxide impacts climate.”

Here is a reader’s response to his comments, and Nanda’s reply:

Dear editor,

I read your reports faithfully. I agree with much of Nanda’s observations. But the statements regarding man-made climate change are old, left-wing propaganda. The presence of trees makes an area much cooler than blacktop paving. There’s very little education regarding climate being accomplished. Too many so-called climate scientists have agendas and have been proven wrong with time. 

There needs to be more climate history, science and common sense. After the last major ice age, we also encountered the “little ice age,” which began in the 14th century and lasted into the 18th century. During this time, there were crop failures, folks huddling up in urban areas trying to find warmth. Rodents moved in and brought the bubonic plague.

Washington’s troops experienced some of this at Valley Forge. The Spanish lost well over 640 galleons in the Caribbean with over 90% due to hurricanes. But any hurricane that shows up now has cries of “This is due to man’s mishandling the Earth.”

I noticed on Facebook an item stating that the Great Plains were a wonderful spot when there were millions of buffalo roaming there. Those folks are the ones reporting that the flatulence from our paltry cattle herds is destroying the world.

It has been established that the big ice flows reflected 80% of the available solar heat. Yet, they melted back without the benefit of any coal-fired power plants or SUVs. According to “National Geographic,” it took almost 9,000 years for the oceans to return to present levels. 

Those folks that are so terrified of carbon dioxide levels should be for increasing the temperature, as this would shut down millions of furnaces that produce this item. Moisture is a major factor in temperature control. Cloud layers hold in heat at night and reduce intake during the day.

After military service, I spent 33 years with the headquarters of the refrigerated dough division of The Pillsbury Co. I was heavily involved with microbiological and chemical issues. When I retired from Pillsbury, I was soon called by the Ramsey Popcorn Co., where I was employed for 20 years and five months as technical services manager. 

John R. Boyd,
Corydon, Ind.

In a separate note, Boyd added:

One of NASA’s former advisers, John Casey, has published a book called “Dark Winter” that should be read by Dave [Nanda]. We have also seen the collapse of the Madrid Climate Summit, which points out the genuine lack of urgency. 

The fact most don’t understand is that 500 parts per million is only 5 parts in 10,000, or 0.05%. Years ago, in trials with high-population corn, it was found that the available carbon dioxide was the limiting factor.  

Response

Here is Dave Nanda’s response to John Boyd’s letter:

John Boyd’s comments are interesting stuff! However, we can’t ignore what’s currently happening with our planet as “left-wing propaganda.”

The projections of “global warming” for 2020 and beyond are based on the levels of carbon dioxide being produced. 

Lots of people confuse their local weather with the global climate.

I try to be objective and look at the facts being presented. Does the presenter have a bias or a motive?

Discussion is good if the people presenting their thoughts are objective, and they don’t bring politics or religion into the discussion.

Dave Nanda

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