To the Editor:

Climate change is real, it is accelerating, it is caused by human activity (mostly burning fossil fuels) and, if left unchecked, it will have dire consequences. One can look at NASA’s Global Climate website (climate.nasa.gov) and learn about the evidence for man-made climate change, its causes and effects and the scientific consensus supporting all conclusions.

You can also find news of recent developments and what we need to do to escape the worst results of climate change. There is news about interesting proposals and also resources for teachers.

That is the kind of thing that science does for us. It helps us to rationally understand problems and to find solutions.

There seems, however, to be an effort to keep scientific information away from the public. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has recently removed information about climate change from its website. Employees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department have been told not to communicate with the public or the press about climate change.

It is vital that we tell our representatives in Madison and in Washington, D.C., that we expect our government to give us access to the best scientific information available – especially from the researchers whom we employ.

Jack Faulkner-Becker

Stevens Point