What a mess we've gotten ourselves into, and many are willing to ignore the cause: man-made climate change. It's meant record heat waves, overheated seas, prolonged droughts, huge and persistent wild fires and shrinking glaciers, not just in the United States, but worldwide.

Here in Wisconsin, we've gotten off easy so far, but we've seen things like weather changes affecting plants and animals, droughts hurting farm production and a significant warming of Great Lakes waters. It shows critical problems could soon be on the way.

What can we do about it?

Right now we can make election candidates state their position on the issue. Do they favor actions to counteract the threat, or are they in denial that there is such a problem at all.

Voting has never been more important for all of us -- and for our planet.

Jim Carlson, Milwaukee

Tips for getting your letter to the editor published

Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state:

Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: [email protected] or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page.