Scientists agree on humans’ role

I was amused to read the Saturday guest commentary on climate change by the history instructor from Everett Community College. I have been involved in research on climate change effects on birds since the mid-1990s, and I do not recall seeing a piece with more factual errors per sentence. I don’t think this guy has anything right, and he ran through almost the entire catalogue of well-refuted falsehoods on this topic.

There is no point in me burdening you with a detailed litany of the instructor’s errors, but I cannot resist commenting on one widely held climate change misperception in the U.S., i.e., the notion that the scientific community is split in its views on the anthropogenic basis of climate change. I have traveled widely to ornithological conferences in North America and four other continents since the late 1980s, and I have not encountered a single instance of anyone in my field who doubts that current and future climate change effects are the result of human activity.

I only wish that I was still teaching college courses, as it would be neat to throw this bit of red meat to a bunch of sharp students and let them have at it. Hey, guys — the one with the most and best documented refutations gets the “A,” etc.

Off topic, we moved to Whidbey Island about two years ago, and we are delighted with your newspaper. Keep up the good work and let me know if you need a letter of reference or something.

Lloyd Kiff, ornithologist

Clinton