A couple of years ago Congressman Ed Markey held a Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing atop Cannon Mountain. Some memorable testimony came from hunters who say they see ticks much longer into the autumn than previously, and that moose suffer more from ticks and blood loss, because our weather has warmed. Evidence is more bloodied trees where moose have tried to scrape off ticks no longer terminated by reliably-arrived cold. Further, the moose they like to hunt are being driven by our warmer New Hampshire weather into Canada. We also heard from fishermen and syrup boilers. All reported seeing disturbing change.

Whether a citizen cares especially about moose, fish and maple syrup or not, changes with them indicate warmer weather. Birders make similar observations about regulars and migrants.

My ecologist daughter Geneva often reminds me we need to phrase it "global climate change." Temperature gone warmer in one place may provoke temperature gone colder in another. Precipitation can be more or less, and of changed frequency or duration per storm. We've seen that in New Hampshire last year and this.

Shea-Porter is right to care about the severe economic and health problems for ourselves and our offspring. We can all support her for representing us well on this issue, even, ironically, conservatives, who by definition prefer no change.