Into the Future, Coughing

Sci-fi author Gregory Benford sent a letter to the LAT, stating

Carbon caps and the like ask billions of people to act against their interests for many decades. Demanding that billions in India, China and other countries abort their dreams will not save us. Geo-engineering (which might better be called "climate control") can buy us time. Gregory Benford Irvine

The writer is a professor of physics at UC Irvine.

Please, professor, tell us how it is acting against one's interests to stop pumping pollutants in the air. Is it not in people's interest to leave as much land & cool, breathable air on the planet as possible for their children? Here's a free clue: Even if we got all of oil from our neighbors, cousins & friends in Canada, it only cost $10.00/barrel, & there were no climate change problem associated therewith, IT'S A STUPID FUCKING IDEA TO SPEW TONS OF CARCINOGENIC, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM-AFFECTING PARTICULATE MATTER INTO THE ATMOSPHERE ON A DAILY BASIS!!! Perhaps Prof. Benford enjoys standing downwind from campfires & barbeque grills, or even wrapping his lips around a tailpipe every so often, but most people don't like smoke or anything else of that nature in their eyes, throats or lungs. (Except pleasing, relaxing & tasty tobacco smoke, of course.) A guy who writes future fiction being this shortsighted. Like wow, man. What are we buying time for? Death from cancer?