As I recall the last time this topic came up, I mentioned that most folks don't have any problem agreeing that man has done a pretty good job polluting just about every major body of water, including the oceans. That said, it then doesn't seem like such a stretch that our activities might be having some effect on the atmosphere, too. I just finished reading Crichton's "State of Fear"....I think that's the title anyway. Not one of his better efforts as fiction, in my opinion, but he makes a pretty strong argument against global warming and man's contribution to the phenomenon in the story. Then, in the appendix, he says he believes in global warming and that man may be contributing, but perhaps not by the mechanism usually presented, i.e. production of "greenhouse gases". Kind of leaves you wondering, but then he's a physician by training, so has no better claim on deep understanding of the issue than any other of us amateurs.
So. What to believe? Darned if I know. On the other hand, if you assume that most of what is proposed to limit our bad effects on the atmosphere also has the direct result of minimizing air pollution, that's a bit easier to get behind.
I support nuclear energy production. It can be done safely, and we can safely store the by products, if folks will agree that "safely" is not an absolute term. Another one of those shades of gray thingies.
Chuck
