I applaud the Star-Advertiser for covering the very important story of ever-increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (“Data taken atop Mauna Loa forewarn of climate change,” Star-Advertiser, May 19). Many newspapers and other media throughout the country ignored the story altogether.

However I was disheartened to see this article on the second page of the second section of the paper under “Local” news. Yes, Mauna Loa Observatory, where the measurements have been recorded since 1958, is in Hawaii — but this is not just local news. This is news of national and international importance. The information that atmospheric CO2 exceeded 415 parts per million last week should be front-page news.

As we in Hawaii anticipate a future of warmer temperatures, extreme coastal flooding, worsening droughts, dying coral reefs and more destructive hurricanes, the rest of the world is also facing current problems as well as a dismal future. Melting polar ice, rising sea levels, flooding, intense storms, ocean salinity, loss of farmland, habitat destruction, species loss and climate refugees are just some of the current and future issues.

Charlene Hosenfeld

Kailua

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