Now
Fair
29°
High
47°
Low
29°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > Opinion > Letters
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Letters, 4/22: Turtles signal climate change

Comments 44 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008 - 12:34:11 am CDT

Ever since I was 8 years old and growing up in Germany, I have lived closely with turtles and tortoises, as well as the occasional frog, salamander and snake.  Most of the animals that currently share my home and backyard sanctuary were injured, abandoned or displaced by urban sprawl. 

Here in Nebraska they call me the “Turtle Lady.”

Living in close quarters with animals, I’ve learned they don’t lie. My rescued reptiles and amphibians sensed global warming for decades before Al Gore wrote his bestseller, “An Inconvenient Truth.”

My resident female tortoises, as well as the box and water turtles, used to lay their eggs into a sandhill in the outdoor sanctuary during the months of May or June. But ever since the mid-1980s, I noticed how my shell-armored but otherwise helpless housemates have been trying to dig nestholes a little sooner each year. To date they start digging in early March, which means it’s still too cold in Nebraska to let the animals go outside. So my poor captive charges try, try and try again to dig their nests into the vinyl floor of the sunroom.  It’s a pitiful sight. 

My brothers and sisters from the natural world are distressed by the shift in weather. When I look into the innocent eyes of turtles while I mend their broken shells, and when I look into the innocent eyes of children whom I teach in our schools, I know in my heart that their fates are connected.

I’m pleading with our presidential contenders to include the environment on their list of priorities and support Al Gore in his activism to adopt green policies on a worldwide basis. Without saving and restoring our environment, neither turtles nor children will have a future world to live in.

Angelika T.L. Byorth, Lincoln

Chambers will be missed

I remember when I was a third-grader from Omaha, Ernie Chambers was the only senator who acknowledged us with a smile and a wave, T-shirt and all.

Thanks, Ernie Chambers, for your dedication to the rights of the forgotten, for showing how absurd things can be and following your values. You will be missed, but I am sure there are still many things on your horizon. 

Paul Ries, Lincoln

Where’s the harm in iPods?

In response to “iPods banned from marathon” (The (402), LJS, April 17):

Show me the numbers — how many injuries have there been in any race across the country from listening to one’s iPod? Is it greater than the number of injuries due to improper or other health-related injuries?

There must be some horrific statistic out there for race director Nancy Sutton to make the statement that it’s simply safer for runners to hear what’s going on around them. Prove to me that it’s not safe to listen to music during a race, don’t just tell me it is and expect me to believe it!

As for competitive edge, heaven forbid I should be one of the 5,000 noncompetitive entrants to have a competitive edge! I might just come in 3,510th place instead of 3,515th place!

Kimberly Mann, Lincoln

Head out on a Lincoln Safari

In response to Steve Batie’s excellent Sunday column (HouseWorks, April 13) and Gwen Bedient’s comments the day before (Community Column, April 12), as well as the editorial March 11, let me recommend Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s exciting yearlong Lincoln Safari.

This fun activity is designed to get people of all ages off the couch, away from the tube and outside to explore Lincoln’s parks and other green spaces. Upon registration at the zoo or a Lincoln library, groups receive a Safari bag and a map showing 35 locations to find and enjoy, and there are prizes at some sites.

Get out and experience nature firsthand.

Virginia Opocensky, Lincoln


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Letters > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
Midwest Manners wrote on April 22, 2008 5:55 am:
" The tone of Kimberley Mann's letter reeks of rudeness and immaturity. Prove, Prove, Prove!
Why don't you ask for data to support your case rather than demand.
What a change in attitude over the last 40-50 years......even in "nice" Nebraska.
It's interesting to read letters to the editor from the 50's and 60's for a refreshing change!


"

 Bingo wrote on April 22, 2008 6:17 am:
" Key word "activism". Generate a paniced response and then, Yes, impose another tax, buy offset carbon credits, enrich the activist and government. Al Gore truely needs more money in order to lecture us, from his private jet, large SUV, or Tennesee mansions, how our lifestyle may be jeopardizing his. Sounds like a true plan to end global warming.
Note to self: Memo to sun to please not increase emmisions. Would not want actual science to interfer with an aganda. This earth cycle therory is disrupting the current agendas retoric.
Memo to China, India, 3rd World: Please stop your unregulated economic development, again another risk to our world enviornment. "

 Berten Earnest wrote on April 22, 2008 6:35 am:
" Thank you Angelika, I'm glad that we can now identify global changes based on a single turtle habitat! I've been noticing my cats start to shed earlier this year, if we can find a third person with a pet anomaly, we should all travel to D.C. to testify before Congress, by train of course! "

 Life wrote on April 22, 2008 8:22 am:
" So, I've come to this conclusion that there are way too many people in Lincoln who just need to get with it. If you have all of this time to sit here and critizie others comments, stories, letters - why don't you become pro-active and do something - other than tearing down the rest of the world....it's really not that bad, we're not out to get you! Be positive - it makes for a better day anyway! And what if we all smiled more often? Maybe things in this world would start to change! "

 Mark wrote on April 22, 2008 8:44 am:
" Maybe the real reason the turtles are digging earlier is not from global warming, but global cooling. Experts have said the earth has cooled off, NOT warmed up like Gore and his followers want us to believe.

"When I look into the innocent eyes of turtles while I mend their broken shells, and when I look into the innocent eyes of children whom I teach in our schools, I know in my heart that their fates are connected". Are you kidding me? How so? And you’re teaching my kid this crap in school?

At some point people need to start challenging some of these environmentalist and their wacked out claims. Using letters like this to try and draw on peoples emotions without true facts is clearly an attempt to distort any truth about global warming, when in fact global cooling is happening now. Never mind the truth from experts because it doesn't fit into AL Gore and his merry band of followers claims and agenda.
"

 runner wrote on April 22, 2008 8:56 am:
" Perhaps Kimberly has not run in a marathon before(?) Listening to anything while you are running can be dangerous. I have been hit by a course bicylist; scooped up another runner who yelped just in time to NOT get trampled by 30,000 other runners in Chicago and needed to listen for my family at mile 25! In training, traffic, dogs, other people wanting to pass on the bike path, etc., are possible dangers. And if you run at 5:30 a.m. like I do, you need to be aware of your surroundings. When it is that dark outside you need to listen for ANYTHING that might be around you. Assults do happen in Lincoln. I can say from personal experience that even though running a marathon is an awesome individual achievement, it is also a lot about camaraderie, it's the icing on the training cake, why would anyone want to wear a headset? How will you hear the crowds cheering you on or your name as you cross the finish line? If you need to wear a headset, you could go to the gym and use a treadmill. No one wants to talk at the gym and you probably won't get hit by a car while on the treadmill. "

 wow wrote on April 22, 2008 9:03 am:
" Geeze, Kimberly, calm down... Have you ran the Lincoln Marathon or Half Marathon before? In case you haven't, this particular run is well known for being on of the most congenial races in the region and is very social. If I were you, I’d take off my headphones and cheer on the people around you – or thank the thousands of supporters and volunteers who show up to support you and the rest of us who participate. Call me crazy, but you might just gain a little more appreciation for the run. "

 Grundle wrote on April 22, 2008 9:15 am:
" Indeed, bow down to the eco-Messiah, Al Gore. He shall lead you eco-sinners from your path of wretchedness into righteousness. He shall not do so by example, as one need not be able to follow in order to lead. He shall preach to you from his bully-pulpit while he commits the same atrocities that he denounces on a scale much larger than the average person. He shall make factually-bankrupt movies with opening segments borrowed from other doomsday environmental movies that are also factually-bankrupt, merely for the sake of consistency. You mortals shall not question his eternal wisdom, nor shall you question any part of the Global Warming hypothesis...doing so is grounds for crucifixion. Global Warming...it's the newest religion. "

 Ben the Destroyer wrote on April 22, 2008 9:34 am:
" Bingo is exactly right. Global Warming is nothing more than a hoax designed to give the government more power and control over you and your pocketbook. Al Gore is nothing more than another elitest shill for the kook left in this country. "

 misinformed wrote on April 22, 2008 9:51 am:
" Al Gore looks like a genius compared to GW. "

 I agree Kimberly wrote on April 22, 2008 10:05 am:
" Im sorry, but if you are not aware of your surroundings you obviously are not an accomplished runner. So,what about deaf people Nancy can they run? Nancy Sutton should be ashamed about what she has done. Last time I checked I know what is best for me, not Nancy. And if I want to listen to my ipod while I run then I have the right to, next your going to tell me my new Nikes will not be allowed in a race because they have extra cushion. I have raced in many marathons all over the country with my ipod and have never had an accident, but maybe that is because I look both ways and am a cautious racer. Thanks Nancy for being a dictator! "

 My question to all wrote on April 22, 2008 10:08 am:
" who disagree with Kimberly. Can deaf people race? Or are they turned away because they are unsafe to run too? Seems ridiculous to me. "

 Josh wrote on April 22, 2008 10:21 am:
" That is what the global warming alarmist crowd relies on: emotionally-charged anecdotal accounts of what they say "proves" global warming. It will be a good day when people see global warming for the fraud that it is and stops wasting time, money, and newspaper space on it. "

 Deaf Runners wrote on April 22, 2008 10:36 am:
" To those that seem to think runners cannot safely run with music playing at a reasonable volume, should deaf runners be banned? If having some sounds be obscured by music is dangerous, well jeez, deaf runners must be super-duper dangerous!

My wife is a runner, and I don't feel she is dangerous. She is not exactly deaf, but she does rarely listens to me.

It all seems a bit illogical to me. If you are about to pass a runner with headphones on, say "On your left!" a bit louder. Let's not sweat the small stuff. Have fun out there, and good luck runners! "

 To Paul wrote on April 22, 2008 11:09 am:
" Obviously, you went to a public school in third grade. When I went to the Legislature with a group of parochial school kids, we got a scowl from Ernie, T-shirt and all..... I will be one who won't miss him. "

 to runner wrote on April 22, 2008 12:15 pm:
" Isn't it personnal choice. One more thing people are trying to tell me how or what to do. What do you care if I get hit by a bike, or I don't here the crowd chanting my name. "

 hey Ernie wrote on April 22, 2008 12:20 pm:
" don't let the door hit ya on the way out "

 Abe Lincoln wrote on April 22, 2008 1:39 pm:
" People! People. Its OK to be environmentally positive now. Even George W. admits to global warming and is taking steps to reverse it. Its part of your conservative package to be on the side of doing something about it now so its ok. Maybe you will get it in the next ten years or so?? "

 BB wrote on April 22, 2008 1:46 pm:
" I don't dispute your very scientific findings, Angelika, but perhaps the actions of your test subjects are because you have taken them OUT of their natural envirment into your toxic ladden vinyl covered, temperature altered enviorment? "

 Thanks Ernie wrote on April 22, 2008 1:47 pm:
" Nebraska is a better place because of your service and knowledge. Term limits will be proven to be a horrible mistake. "

 Scotty wrote on April 22, 2008 3:57 pm:
" I agree with Kimberly Mann's complaint. Maybe an article should have been done months ago so people were made more aware and could have trained without music. Running isn't just physical, it's also mental and listening to music can get you in that place you need to be to push through. You always need to be aware of your surrounding when you are running whether you're listening to music or not. I'm very aware of my surroundings and make sure to look before I pass another runner. If there was any safe time to listen to music, this would be the time. You can't get hit by a car or possibly attacked. To say that it's an advantage is ridiculous. Not everyone has a friend to run with or one that runs at there pace. If this is an advantage then maybe tall people shouldn't be able to run since they have longer legs and can take bigger strides. Or maybe you shouldn't be able to wear those camel packs because then you can have a drink whenever you want. I've run 3 other 1/2 marathons and have had no problems with listening to music and I haven't seen any problems either. You can also listen to music at a volume that still allows you to hear the crowd and know what's going on around you. "

 seriously wrote on April 22, 2008 4:16 pm:
" It absolutely blows me away that there are actually people who say that global warming is a myth! Seriously?? Have you not noticed the changes in weather just in the past 10 years?? Freakish things are happening all over the world. It's been freezing in Florida. There are more and more natural disasters. What would you attribute this to? Or like one of the posts here that I LOVED, do y'all just like to crab and complain and make negative comments about everything, whether you know about it or not? I'm betting the latter. Quit being so dang angry. "

 Grundle wrote on April 22, 2008 4:30 pm:
" Nah, term limits are good...the only "horrible mistake" was made by the voters of North Omaha, which was to keep Ernie in office for so long. He'll be missed by the handful of people who were fooled into believing that Ernie was accomplishing something during his over-extended tenure. It's funny, people think term limits are a bad thing until they eliminate a politician that they don't particularly like. I'm reminded of a quote, "Politicians are like diapers...they both need changing regularly, and for the same reason." "

 MarkyMark wrote on April 22, 2008 4:38 pm:
" I know....I never could understand why people voted to take away their own rights when they put in term limits. Seems like a real simpleton thing to do..guess we deserve it. "

 Rocket Scientist wrote on April 22, 2008 4:39 pm:
" I find it funny that those making fun of Angelika's logic are by and large the same people that think "we are fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here". "

 Really Confused wrote on April 22, 2008 4:40 pm:
" No I get terribly confused these past weeks. Didn't they say the earth is not warming as they predicted? Last year it was global warming, in the 70's it was global cooling and ice ages returning. I don't know what to belive...it is getting warm here, now it is getting colder, now warmer, now colder...sorry it was just the sun raising and setting. "

 Pat Robertson wrote on April 22, 2008 4:41 pm:
" Thats right. Global warming is a myth, but Noah's Ark. Now thats real! "

 Grundle wrote on April 22, 2008 4:46 pm:
" Seriously, it blows me away that people point to weather anomalies and say, "LOOK! Global Warming!!!" 2005 was a very active year for hurricanes...but then 2006 was a was a phenomenal dud. Which one was caused by global warming? Recent research, which was published in the highly reputable journal "Nature" indicates that hurricane activity is linked much more directly to the El Niño / La Niña cycles and the strength of the West African monsoon, not by the sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and certainly not by global temperatures. One cannot point to isolated weather events as evidence of global warming. One could just as easily point to freezing in Florida as evidence of global cooling. I say it's nothing more than evidence of weird weather...and weird weather is not necessarily the result of global warming. I have not noticed a change in the weather in the past ten years...Nebraska summers are still hot, winters are still cold, and the wind continues to blow from just about every direction. "

 seriously seriously wrote on April 22, 2008 4:51 pm:
" Cold temperatures in FL are indicative of global warming?? Isn't warming the opposite of cooling? I understand that a warming global climate can change areas differently but it seems like a pretty easy theory to prove when you get to attribute anectdotal local warming and COOLING events to our empending doom that is global warming. "

 Des wrote on April 22, 2008 6:36 pm:
" I'm suddenly very hungry for turtle soup. And where the hell was the global warming all winter and half of our spring?? The Gorackle promised global warming, so I was hoping for short sleeve weather this winter. Then we ended up with icicles hanging off our noses and praying to God that the natural gas prices would go down so we could afford to heat the house! "

 evelc wrote on April 22, 2008 6:55 pm:
" If all of us were to dedicate ourselves to a particular part of nature as the Turtle Lady has, we might find our opinions about any number of social/political/environmental issues to change.

Angie, you have been doing a tremendous service to people and amphibians for a long time. Thank you for your devotion. "

 Matt P. wrote on April 22, 2008 7:18 pm:
" Angelka, your "animal friends" may be able to see changes in the weather pattern from year to year, but global climate change is not something that is measured over a few seasons. Give me 5 decades of actual data and then I'll listen to you on the subject. "

 AWP wrote on April 22, 2008 8:29 pm:
" Very interesting letter from the Turtle Lady. We just might have found our local version of Ted Turner when it comes to climate change hysteria. "

 AMAZED wrote on April 22, 2008 10:22 pm:
" i find it hard to believe that mankind can substantially change climate when natural occurrences of ice ages and swamps have occurred several times in history. we are simply working with too small a database to decide cooling or warming. no doubt we can influence climate, but wholesale change, i'm skeptical. especially based on a few turtles. "

 Molecular Theory wrote on April 23, 2008 2:58 am:
" Of the 1.5 degree increase in global temperature since 1840, 2/3rds of the rise or 1 degree, happened prior to 1950. In the last 58 years, the global temp has only raised half a degree--at the precise time man-made pollutants should have been accelerating the process. I'm not arguing in favor of polluting the atmosphere...far from it. No one in their right mind would argue that it's a good idea to spew tons and tons of toxins into the air. However, if you're going to look for the culprit in global warming, I suggest you look up at the sky and curse the sun. All of the planets in our solar system are experiencing "global" warming due to the sun's gradual increase in temperature. I just think people should investigate as much as possible before jumping on the "we're all doomed" bandwagon. "

 Jesse wrote on April 23, 2008 8:21 am:
" You people who think golobal warming means an increase in temps by apparently 20 degrees are nuts. Global warming is a natural occurance that happens over a period of time by minute degrees. We are accelerating this with our activities. The Turtle Lady is only giving some facts to us that her turtles might be feeling the effects of the global warming. Get off your redneck Ford trucks and just think about what you're saying. Of course it's cold during the winter and early spring. We are in Nebraska for crying out loud! "

 Grundle wrote on April 23, 2008 10:42 am:
" Please explain to me, Jesse, how turtles that are living in a climate controlled environment are going to feel the effects of global warming? Two years ago, during a trip to the ACTUAL sandhills at Fort Robinson State Park, I observed several red-eared sliders (water turtles) digging their nests in June. They seemed to be dealing with the effects of global warming quite well, but then again, they haven't been removed from their natural environment and forced into a life of indentured servitude for someone else's amusement. How do you think injured turtles survived before the 'Turtle Lady' came along to save them? If one is going to be a proponent for nature, then they should be willing to let nature take its course. "

 To seriously wrote on April 23, 2008 12:53 pm:
" What blows me away is that people like you think the earths weather and climate has been the same for all of existence! Do you really think ice has been here for as long as the earth? It is a cycle the will probably end up wiping out mankind, but to be so ignorant to think just because ice is melting is because of humans (I do everything I can to be "green") is ridiculous. The sun is burning hotter than it ever has, there are many changes. After all the whole earth was once covered all in water, what makes you think this won't happen again? It happened once and it will happen again. "

 CourseOfEvents wrote on April 23, 2008 1:40 pm:
" How many species have gone extinct in the past? Countless, I'm sure. In the natural evolution of the Earth, the climate has changed drastically. Places that are cold now were once lush. Meteors have crashed into the earth, causing widespread extinction, and man was nowhere to be found. While I agree that carbon emissions are not good, all of the blame cannot be placed on man. Al Gore is the biggest hypocrite ever, flying all around the place in his carbon-emitting jets promoting his cause, producing more emissions himself in a year than many of us will cause in our lifetime. "

 AWP wrote on April 23, 2008 8:23 pm:
" I guess I have to keep asking the same question until I get an answer: Will someone please tell me what the "normal" temperature of the earth is? "

 GMP wrote on April 24, 2008 12:39 am:
" I'd like to thank Angelika T.L. Byorth for the work she does. A friend of my m-i-l abandoned a turle, and I tried for the longest to take care of it, cured its shell rot, etc. But after a while I realized he wasn't living a very full "turtle" life. My husband heard of her, called her, and she accepted our turtle. I cried when we had to give him up, but knew he would be happier, and well cared for. I'm glad I got to say thank you again. "

 Angelika wrote on April 25, 2008 5:48 am:
" I wish my kids had you as a teacher as you are intelligent and sensitive. You wrote a great letter. Thank you for giving us first hand knowledge of the changes you are seeing. Politicians, are you listening? God bless your little friends. "

 Brad wrote on April 25, 2008 9:35 am:
" Just a question for the Turtle Lady whom I am sure is a great individual with a kind heart. Would the fact that these wild creatures are living indoors during a time when they should be hibernating or just coming out of hibernation be effecting when they sense it is time to nest? Most amphibians and fish are triggered to mate by temperature and hours of daylight, by living indoors, these two natural triggers would be thrown off considerably. I am not saying that our climate isn't changing one way or another. I am just not throwing my barometer away and trading it for a pack of turtles just yet. "

 kjbclg wrote on April 25, 2008 2:28 pm:
" Come on people! Global warming is no different now than 50 years ago. Look at the weather stations when they show the record highs for temps. 90% of them are from back in the early 1900-1960's. Explain this early season if we are warmer than normal! Its just now getting warmer and its darn near May! Last year it was warm starting in March! Get a new subject to complain about. My cat sheds every year at this time! Nothing new.... "

Ads by Yahoo!