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CO, CO2 — Big Difference

Written by Jeff Howard

Tuesday, 06 November 2007 05:55 PM

The Nov. 1 article by Larissa Robinson on the City of Arlington’s recruitment of UTA students to help conduct an analysis of the city’s environmental impact failed to make it clear that the project focuses on greenhouse gas emissions. To complicate matters, the article inexplicably cites information on carbon monoxide emissions.

It’s good that emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), a highly toxic substance, have been falling; but given that the Arlington project concerns climate change, what Robinson ought to have focused on is carbon dioxide (CO2).

Carbon dioxide emissions, which by every credible account are the leading cause of climate change, have been going up rapidly for well over a century as we burn ever-larger quantities of fossil fuels in our cars, trucks, ships, power plants, factories, businesses and homes. Unlike its chemical sibling, carbon dioxide remains almost entirely unregulated in the United States. Given the profusion of publicity and discussion about climate destabilization over the past few years, it’s difficult to understand how the staff of a major university newspaper could confuse CO and CO2.

I commend Mayor Cluck and the City of Arlington for taking a hard look at emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. And I urge The Shorthorn staff to get its facts straight as it covers one of the central challenges confronting this generation and generations to come.

— Jeff Howard is an assistant professor of the School of Urban and Public Affairs

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 23 February 2008 09:27 PM )

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