ISSUE: The newly released Michael Crichton novel, "State of
Fear," is based on the premise that global warming is simply
a scare tactic, promoted by environmentalists and many
scientists eager to raise money for their work and draw
attention to their organizations. The author goes beyond his
novel's premise by including a personal message and a
reference section supporting his personal view that global
warming is a highly speculative theory. An AP wire story
from Sunday has been picked up around the country. Other
papers are likely to run book reviews soon.
ACTION: Send a letter-to-the-editor if a news story or book
review appears in your local paper.
MAIN MESSAGE: Michael Crichton readers can enjoy his new
science-fiction thriller while keeping in mind that he is a
novelist and medical doctor, not a climate scientist. Most
of us read novels for pleasure and seek advice from medical
experts on health. For advice on the Earth's climate, we
should rely on the experts who have carefully studied this
issue. The vast majority of climate scientists have
concluded that the Earth is warming, that human activity is
a primary cause, and that we can avoid the most severe
impacts by reducing our emissions of carbon dioxide and
other heat-trapping gases.
DEADLINE: Your letter to the editor should reach your paper
as soon as possible after publication of the story to
increase the chances of it being published.
******************************************
*** THE ISSUE ***
Many of you may have already heard about Michael Crichton's
new novel "State of Fear." In it the "bad guys" are
environmentalists and scientists involved in a global