Editor,

A recent letter to the editor writer took exception to a previous letter that criticized the long-term benefits of natural gas as an energy source. That pro-gas letter proclaimed natural gas as “clean, efficient and economical.” The latter two qualities, perhaps, but clean is one big stretch.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel which gives off 117 lbs. of CO2 per million BTUs of energy released. Compared to other fossil fuels, this is better than most with coal weighing in at 220 lbs. of CO2, diesel at 161 and regular old gas at 157 — all a far cry compared to solar cells, wind power, and hydroelectric, which yield virtually zero CO2 emissions.

Sixty-seven percent of natural gas comes from fracking, which poses significant downsides including very high uses and contamination of ground-water — 70 billion to 140 billion gallons of water were used nationwide in 2011 for fracking at an estimated 35,000 wells.

Then there’s methane. National Geographic tells us that the U.S. mining of natural gas produces 13 million metric tons of methane each year and this greenhouse gas has 80 times the climate warming impact of carbon dioxide.

Thirty years ago it would have made a lot of sense for us to switch to cleaner fossil fuels. But those days are gone. We’ve squandered the easy solutions to climate change and now must get to carbon neutral and fast or things will get pretty ugly.

We’re already paying the price in terms of species extinction, loss of polar ice caps, barrier reefs, sea water rise, massive forest fires, ocean acidification and 117 degree heat in Portland, Ore., of all places. Unfortunately, we need bold, decisive action not more stalling around with myopic fossil fuel compromises, laden with downsides.

Dean Enell

Langley