[Allison]

I see something was locked today. Are we not to discuss environmental issues here? That seems not right.

[Tom]

A while back I recall you indicating to me that you felt global warming debate was politics and not hiking related. I agree it's a fine line, but perhaps you can explain the waffling on the hiking relevance? In the past, threads on global warming have devolved quickly into politics. The last time.

[Allison]

If we can't talk about anything that's even possibly related to global warming (or "periodic temperature shifts"), well, that's going to take a lot off the table. Forest fires, weather, logging, many things we talk about here could have some relationship to the temperature of the earth's atmosphere.

[Tom]

I didn't say that.

[greg]

Does seem a bit precipitous. Global warming, if it exists, would have a large effect on hiking opportunities and certainly could be considered a stewardship issue.

[Snowbrushy]

I agree that guidelines would be good. History. Stewardship. Whatever ..

[Tom]

[Blue Dome]

[Eric]

I think it's been fine as currently enforced. Global warming in general I think we all know how that argument turns out. It will get into a tiff over causes and actions that should or should not be taken and become just a back and forth between certain parties whose identity we can probably guess beforehand. If you want to take about how global warming and lesser snow/glaciers will impact routes or views or whatever me thinks that is legit. I'm genuinely curious for instance about whether certain glacier traverses will have boot beaten trails in a few decades. New Lakes. Changing hiking seasons and maybe more rain or less skiing or whatever effects outdoor activities would be. But that's just my take so whatever.

[Blue Dome]

Letting a thread with the topic of global warming proceed, with its interesting input and discussion, will only benefit the forum. If it gets out of hand, like any other thread, then lock it. Never letting such input and discussion see the light of day is a loss.

[Tom]

[Blue Dome]

[Scrooge]

I wonder if it's the "Stewardship" forum that tends to be political, rather than the particular topic? Blue Dome's global warming post seemed perfectly innocent to me, and very much related to hiking. It applies to everything from "Freshies in the Forecast" to Dicey's moats. It may be more appropriate in "Trail Talk", but I think just locking it was precipitous. In and of itself, the article was not political. David

[Blue Dome]

Scrooge, Thanks. The article appeared in the Science & Space section of the CNN Web site. I considered posting it in “Trail Talk,” but thought it more appropriate for “Stewardship.”

[Tom]

BD, I'm sure your reasons for posting birthday wishes to Jimmy Carter and Ghandi were as innocent as stated. No doubt you're looking forward to BPJ posting birthday wishes to Reagan in February, as much as he is looking forward to someone posting birthday wishes to Clinton in August.