Denial has dangerous consequences. Most of us have experienced this in one way or another.

Often it's denial of a problem like alcohol or drug addiction. We know there's an issue but refuse to seek help for a loved one or ourselves. Eventually many are able to confront it and that starts recovery. Then we ask, why did we wait so long?

There is a critical area where a substantial majority sees a serious problem and, yet, there are many who deny it exists.

I'll be the first to agree that sometimes the majority can be wrong. But not in the case of global warming. The unanimity among scientists is alarming. In response, most of the world has signed the Kyoto Protocol, agreeing to help solve the problem. Although the United States has not yet signed on, over 400 mayors of U.S. cities, including Boise and Spokane, have signed an agreement to support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For many of the deniers part of the issue seems to be the messenger. Those who don't like Al Gore are the most vocal.

We saw an example of that when Gore testified before the Senate and James Inhofe, senator from oil rich Oklahoma, treated Mr. Gore with disdain. Yet, even ExxonMobil has stopped funding a disinformation campaign it has supported since 1998.

Given the potential of the threat, it seems unwise to deny the possibility. What if the opposition is wrong?

The consequences will be dire—rising sea level, reduction of water supply in populated areas, crop yield declines, etc. Given even the potential for such results, a prudent person should be concerned.

How many of us expect our home to burn down? Yet, how many have fire insurance?

And what if the scientists are wrong? What do we lose by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions?

We reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve the efficiency of our energy use, create new industries that will be on the cutting edge and save money. Sounds like a no-lose situation.

We ignore this issue at our peril when it's so easy to do many little things to reduce our impact on this problem. What will we tell our grandchildren when they ask why we didn't do more?

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint