The importance of the number 350
To the Editor:
Now there is a number: 350! That's the maximum parts per million (ppm) of CO2 beyond which life on earth cannot continue to maintain itself. We are already at 390 ppm. Should we continue releasing CO2 into the atmosphere at the current rate, the delicate balance of our ecosystem will be irreversibly damaged within years, not even decades.
The fact of dangerous climate change is no longer debatable. Climatologists, oceanographers, and scientists from many disciplines are now in complete agreement about the destructive effects of CO2 emissions above 350 ppm. We have only a few short years to reverse the trend. After that, we reach the point of no return where there will be a steady deteriorization of our natural world-no matter what remedial steps are taken.
Our 390 ppm is already claiming 300,000 lives a year as well as eliminating hundreds of species of animals and plants. As one authority has put it, "350 is the most important number in the world."
Under the auspices of the U.N., world leaders will be meeting in Copenhagen this December to hopefully take significant action in the form of a global treaty on CO2 emissions. In order that the U.S. might take a strong position, a Global day of Climate Action is planned for Oct. 24 so we can voice our alarm to our government leaders on the "350" issue. For more information and what you can do to help, go to www.350.org.
David C. Duncombe
White Salmon
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