The new eastern span of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge is reflected on the water in a view from Treasure Island on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Letter of the Day: Betting against change?

Betting against change?

EDITOR: The Senate has completed its climate-change all-nighter, and I was reflecting back to 1972 when a San Francisco newspaper displayed a futuristic aerial graphic of the city 12 years into the future as a series of islands after the ice caps had melted and the sea had risen 250 feet. When 1984 arrived, and Ocean Beach was still available for walking, I became skeptical of this prophesy and would categorize myself as a "denier."

Today, the climate changers seem to have the momentum in the global warming argument, and it's rare to hear anyone challenging them except for a couple of senators from Oklahoma. However, can one argue that there are silent deniers who are talking with their checkbooks?

Take a quick visit to the South Beach and Mission Bay areas of San Francisco and one observes billions of dollars in development at sea level, and let's not forget the new $6 billion Bay Bridge. Further, the Santa Clara/San Jose area is building huge projects at sea level even though global warming is supposedly imminent.

Why is all this money being spent? What do the people with the checkbooks know?

MICHAEL A. FLANAGAN

Santa Rosa

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.
Send a letter to the editor