Walking toward a cooler future

The Daily Mining Gazette - Published: Monday, April 16, 2007

Walking toward a cooler future
Pinwheel Parade tries to focus on global warming

CAPTION: Kurt Hauglie/Daily Mining Gazette

Participants in the Pinwheel Parade walk down College Avenue in Houghton Saturday to bring attention to the need for legislative action to promote alternative energy sources, such as wind. The Keweenaw Sustainability Project sponsored the parade, which was one of about 1,300 in the country.

By KURT HAUGLIE, DMG Writer

HOUGHTON — Will Cantrell thinks global warming is not just a theoretical possibility but something that probably is a fact.

Cantrell, who is an associate professor of physics at Michigan Tech University, said carbon dioxide buildup is much higher than it was 100 years ago.

“There’s no doubt there’s more CO2 in the atmosphere now,” Cantrell said. “The physics behind that is indisputable.”

Although he’s not certain the effects of the buildup of CO2 will be as catastrophic as some people are claiming, Cantrell said he does see some effects.

“My area of research is atmospheric physics and chemistry,” he said. “I’m quite familiar with the issues behind global climate change.”

To bring attention to idea of global warming, Cantrell and about 30 other people met at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Saturday to hear presentations on the subject and then go on a “Pinwheel Parade” from the church on Shelden Avenue, to the north end of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge then back to the Portage Lake District Library to focus attention on it.

Anne Newcombe, one of the event’s organizers, said it was one of about 1,300 around the country organized by the national group, Step It Up, Congress, which is urging legislation regulating and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, the compound many scientists claim is causing global warming.

“If we don’t do something now and get out of carbon-based fuel sources, by 2050 we won’t have a choice,” Newcombe said. “We’ll be in an experiment we don’t want to be in.”

The pinwheels many of the march participants carried were a symbol of wind power, one of the alternative energy sources which could lower the country’s dependence on petroleum products.

“The power is in our hands,” Newcombe said.

Although showing other residents that alternatives to petroleum is possible, Newcombe said the parade had another practical purpose.

“The key is to pass legislation that has teeth to devote some of our vast financial resources to research and development of viable alternative technologies.” she said. “ The key one is going to be solar.”

Newcombe said the placement of solar panels in the country needs to be greatly increased, and one idea being presented is to place panels along roadways in the southwest, which receives most of the country’s sunlight. Another idea is to place as many solar panels on buildings with large surface area roofs as possible.

Before the march, Newcombe told the gathered group that theirs was one of about 1,300 around the country Saturday.

“This is a huge action,” she said.

Newcombe also told the group that recent studies have shown that the surface temperature of Lake Superior has risen abut 4 and a half degrees since 1979, and the temperature of the surrounding land mass has increased more than 2 degrees.

Barry Solomon, energy policy specialist and Tech professor of social sciences, spoke on the need for action to counter the effects of CO2 build up.

“We need to consider our role as a consumer of energy as well as a citizen,” Solomon said.

As consumers, Solomon said people should make sure items they purchase, such as vehicles and appliances, are as energy efficient as possible. If they aren’t immediately evident, consumers should ask to see energy-use labels of products they’re considering for purchase. Hybrid vehicles and fluorescent lights are some of the many alternate products available.

“There’s a tremendous amount of choice out there,” he said.

As citizens, Solomon said people concerned about the possible effects of CO2 build up, including global warming, should contact their legislators supporting bills calling for reduction in greenhouse gases, such as CO2. Some states and even some local governments are taking on the issue.

“Cities are starting to get into the act,” Solomon said. “More than 100 cities around the country have made the commitment.”

Solomon said he has been studying global warming for 20 years, and he thinks it’s quite a serious issue.

“This is a major problem,” he said. “This is the problem of the future.”

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com