Senator to Santa: Put Your Climate Refugee Camp in New Jersey
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has dragged Santa Claus, his elves and reindeer into the climate change fight, proving nothing -- not even the jolly gift-giving legend -- can escape the political posturing. In an open letter posted Thursday on Huffington Post, Menendez wrote to Santa that he worried about his North Pole homeland and his ability to deliver gifts to the world's children because climate change was melting the Arctic ice.
The Democratic senator then offered up New Jersey as an alternative home. Let's just hope it's not on the Jersey Shore, one of many coastal areas that would be affected by rising sea waters caused by global warming.
Key excerpts from the letter:
Dear Santa Claus,Photo from Flickr user turtlemom4bacon, CC 2.0I am writing out of concern, because you have to move from the North Pole due to the dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice. The Navy's chief oceanographer says that by the summer of 2020 the North Pole may not have summer ice and other scientists project that an ice-free Arctic is possible as soon as 2012!
Scientists overwhelmingly agree that polar ice is melting because of greenhouse gas pollution and I am working hard to reduce these emissions. But there is probably nothing we can do in time to save the North Pole. I am worried about your safety and your ability to deliver billions of Christmas gifts if the ice cap on the North Pole no longer stays frozen all year. What will happen to your house, your workshop, the elves' houses and your reindeer barns?
I want you to know that if you want to relocate to the beautiful state of New Jersey, I would be proud to assist you. ...
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