Your March 3 article "Storms soak Rim country" brought welcome news to all who are concerned about the drought in the Southwest.
What it didn't mention is that we have the opportunity to prevent drought in our area from becoming more frequent and severe in the future.
Proactive solutions, like water conservation and fighting global warming, will help to keep severe weather, such as extended drought followed by intense rainstorms, from becoming more common in Arizona.
In order to prevent drought from becoming more common, we need to take steps now to halt global warming. The blanket of excess carbon dioxide, released by human burning of fossil fuels for energy, that currently blankets the earth, creating climate changes like drought, can be thinned to normal levels. This thinning will begin when we convert our energy systems to renewable sources, and stop pumping huge quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.
An immediate transition to reliable, clean sources of energy like wind, fuel cell and solar power will reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and help prevent an increase in the frequency of droughts in the future. Cities and citizens can contribute to the fight against global warming by promoting and installing clean energy systems, and by asking the federal government to regulate CO2 emissions and (give incentives for) clean energy.
Taking action now is the best way to prevent an increase in droughts in the future.
Melanie Schmidt, Communications Coordinator, Power Shift, Washington, DC