US Rep. Todd Young meets with Bloomington activists on issue of climate change [Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind.]

Aug. 14--Maria McKinley planned a protest, not a meeting.

As part of Organizing for Action, a national organization dedicated to advancing the policies of President Barack Obama, McKinley hoped to hold a small protest in front of U.S. Rep. Todd Young's office Tuesday to protest Young's views on climate change.

The activists planned to gather and have several speakers talk about the scientific argument for climate change, McKinley said. They hoped to possibly interact with the Republican 9th District congressman as he headed into his office.

But Young promised to meet with the protesters he found gathered just after noon, ushering the more than 30 gathered into the small meeting room attached to his office.

"I don't deny climate change," Young said. "I would put myself in the agnostic category."

Scott Wells, a member of the Monroe County Plan Commission, held up a brochure he received from his insurance company, which laid out recent weather disasters.

This, Wells said, affirmed that climate change was becoming a more and more accepted scientific view, and he questioned Young's assertion that he was "agnostic" on climate change.

"Some people say that you're a member of DOD -- that stands for doctor of denial," Wells said.

Young questioned the science behind the insurance company's brochure, and Michael Prentice, a researcher in climate change at Southern Illinois University, noted that most climate scientists believed in climate change, according to recent data. Prentice and other activists said they would send Young bibliographical information supporting this claim.

Though conceding that human action and emissions likely caused some environmental problems, Young raised some questions about why action was necessary.

"To what extent would U.S. action, independent of any other countries' actions, have an effect?" Young asked.

"It's a good question, but it's a very wrong question," replied David Keppel, an activist.

Keppel said that he thought a move by the U.S. would set an example for other countries. He also said the U.S. should look to the experience of one of its own cities, Detroit, to understand what problems may be caused by falling behind on environmental regulations.

"Detroit ended up falling further and further behind," Keppel said.

But, Young countered, other countries have been over-investing in solar power, when there's not a high demand.

Don Rhoads, associate professor emeritus in mathematics at Andrews University, this is only true in the short term, and that these industries will grow in the future.

On climate change, Young said he would like to see balance between the two sides, though Rhoads encouraged him to look closer at the scientific studies.

"Do not bet against the scientists. You will lose," Rhoads said.

"Isn't it scientific to be skeptical?" Young replied.

McKinley presented Young with the "Unicorn Award," an award given to those who don't believe in climate change.

"I know you can't please everyone, but last year was the highest recorded temperatures for the world ever," McKinley said after the meeting.

Though the meeting with Young was unexpected, both Keppel and McKinley appreciated the dialogue that people were able to have with Young.

"We didn't necessarily get a chance to say all our scientific evidence," McKinley said. "But I do believe we got his attention."

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