This is in response to the Associated Press article, “Global warming hurts poor counties” (June 30.

The article seemed to accept the claim that human activity is the primary cause of global warming; that sacrificing mankind’s quality of life to reduce carbon emissions would be wise; and that man lacks the ingenuity to adapt to change in climate.

Climate has always changed. Mankind has always adjusted crops and actions to adapt. Nature has proven to be equally adaptable.

In 1798, Thomas Malthus predicted mass starvation as population growth outstripped increases in food production. More than 300 years later, there is plenty of food. Famine can be traced to failed governments.

Never in history have plant breeders had such ability to breed crops that thrive in such a wide array of climates, to resist so many diseases, and to provide such nutrition.

More than 80 years ago, my mother told me that Henny Penny claimed the sky was falling. In the intervening years, “popular wisdom” and politicians have kept the public on a steady diet of impending doom and falling skies. Few of those warnings proved both significant or true. Y2K, Avian flu, etc., all brought panic but had not much more substance than Henny Penny’s falling sky.

I believe if governments would spend half the resources and effort on promoting worldwide reduction in government oppression that is spent on promoting fear of man-made global warming, everyone’s quality of life would be improved, regardless of the temperature.

Thomas Standard, Sumner