Brian Greenspun signs off for August with this thought: Going green will cost some well-spent green

Sunday, July 29, 2007 | 7:02 a.m.

Is there anyone left who doesn't believe in global warming?

As we head into the final month of a very hot Las Vegas summer, it dawned on me that there are still people - for whatever reasons - who pooh-pooh the idea that man is a major contributor to global warming through our use or overuse of fossil fuels, which cause greenhouse gas es to be released into the atmosphere, which causes all manner of chemical reactions as we move heavenward. The result is an ever-hotter planet, a continually melting planet and a planet that within a matter of just a few years will see more and more of our most popular seaside resort destinations take on more of a, how shall we say it, underwater look and feel.

I thought about this phenomenon for two reasons. When it is this hot it is time to try to find a more temperate, albeit temporary, clime - which I will do almost immediately and which means I will not be writing for a few weeks. Instead, we will be publishing the thoughts of community business, social and political leaders who will discuss what they think are the kinds of pressing issues this community must deal with in the months and years ahead. Unless you are content to say , "I don't read a newspaper and, therefore, don't really care what smart, knowledgeable and caring people in my community think," then you will want to follow this space throughout August.

As for the second reason, I don't know who else noticed the story about the average temperatures in the United States going up over the past 30 years, but what happened in Nevada is not only staying here but should give each of us pause because it is.

Here we are in one of the longest and driest droughts on record - think about Lake Mead dropping close to 100 feet - and there is no telling when it will get better. For all we know, we could be at the very beginning of a multi year drought the likes of which no one has ever seen. And, as if to add insult to injury, the studies conclude that while the average temperatures across the United States did increase over the past few decades, Nevada saw a spike well beyond the national average. In short, not very good news for a state that is drier than a bone, hotter than the blazes and growing faster than our ability to find the precious water to accommodate that growth.

So the next time you are thinking about government interference in the automobile industry in the form of requiring increased fuel efficiency standards for cars, vans and SUV s, think about how well man has done while left to his own "voluntary" efforts to cut back on fuel consumption. In fact, I am not sure that governmentally required fuel efficiency standards, while one answer, is anywhere close to what is sufficient to deal with what ails us. Immediate immersion in solar, wind and geothermal technology is the logical pursuit for a country intent on doing something significant to stop global warming. To do less - as our country's current leadership is content to do - means more of our ostrich like approach to a global disaster in the making.

And, guess what, pursuing these alternatives requires a national investment. That means it will take tax dollars invested in these technologies before they can work the way most people think they can. Whoops, there's that tax word again. Try to think of it in the context of investing , which means there is often a return to the person who risked his hard-earned dollars. In this case, if those technologies work, the taxpayers will be the big winners. How big? Can you say : providers to the world!

Speaking of taxes and the public's aversion to them, it turns out Nevada isn't the only state with short sighted and oftentimes ignorant leadership.

It seems that Virginia has similar road problems to those of Southern Nevada. At least, those folks need new and improved roads and they have no easy way to get the money to pay for them. Sound familiar?

Remember what our governor did? He solved a $5 billion transportation problem by throwing $1 billion at it , which is akin to throwing a bucket of water on a forest fire. It sizzles for a while and makes the flames go low - but only for a moment. The fire comes raging back worse than it was before the quick fix.

Apparently the good folks of Virginia have the same foolish dreams as we do out here. They want their cake, they want to eat it and they want someone else to pay for it. Their leaders also think that taxes should never be raised, investments should never be undertaken and the public should never be treated as intelligent people who can handle the truth.

Instead of raising the gasoline tax by just one little penny per gallon - a tax that would never be noticed on a base of $ 3 - a - gallon gas - and which would give Virginia all the roads it needs, the Legislature and governor decided to raise the fines for traffic violations. What could have been a $50 speeding ticket will now carry a penalty of up to $1,000. A Virginia motorist - and only a Virginian, because out-of-state violators are not subject to the fine - can pay up to $3,000 per year for traffic violations. Why?

Because the politicians would rather bilk their own residents than admit that some public investments (with tax dollars) are worth making. And rather than taking the time to explain why they are voting a certain way on a bill or other matter, Virginia's leaders would rather hide behind the fleecing of their own people. I have no idea whether what Virginia is doing is legal or constitutional, but I do know it is foolish. Just as it was foolish for our governor in Nevada to try to fool all of the people just this one time by refusing to budge on spending tax dollars when he knew all along that someone would have to pay. Somehow. Do you want to guess who that will be?

There is a worthy debate in the offing and it centers on what kind of city do we want for ourselves and what kind of future do we want for our children. One answer will take no tax dollars, no investments and will most likely yield nothing in return. The other approach will require intelligently investing in the infrastructure of our future - schools, parks, roads, health care , etc. - so that we will control our destiny and not let it go away by default.

When we come back from the heat and the governor comes back to his senses, we will try to take a very good look at how to frame that debate. Maybe we won't wait for the governor . Who's got that kind of time? Until next time, enjoy the rest of the summer and stay cool!