Letter: Safe Climate Act can make a difference

Saturday, July 29, 2006 | 7:54 a.m.

The July 18 article in the Las Vegas Sun, "Hotter planet, more wildfires," shows that global warming is not only a threat to our future - it's already starting to affect our lives.

The first six months of this year were the warmest ever recorded in the U.S., and - with increasingly drier conditions - wildfires are becoming a bigger problem. As global warming pollution levels continue to rise, scientists predict more extreme weather, threatening the balance of our ecosystems.

Fortunately, we have solutions: clean energy sources, such as wind and solar power, cars that go farther on a gallon of gasoline, more energy-efficient buildings and appliances, and more. These solutions will reduce global warming pollution from power plants, cars and SUVs. At the same time, the policies will decrease U.S. dependence on oil, reduce air pollution, and protect pristine places from oil drilling and mining.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has just introduced the Safe Climate Act, which provides a long-term, science-based solution to global warming. We need our leaders in Washington to act.

Reps. Jon Porter and Jim Gibbons, both R-Nev., and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., should co-sponsor the Safe Climate Act, whose goal is to reduce global warming pollution levels by 80 percent by 2050. With their leadership, we can protect future generations and avoid the worst effects of global warming.

Liz Schmitt, Washington, D.C.