It seems as though some of the world's brightest minds are pleading before the United States one more time to change its policies on environmentally harmful gas emissions.

An international climate change task force warned Monday that the planet's global warming is rapidly approaching a critical point. The results of ecological ignorance could spell widespread drought, crop failure and rising sea levels that would be "irreversible." That means forever, President Bush.

Although the world might be on the verge of certain destruction, here in the United States, factories relentlessly pour carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride and other "ides" that are more than sure to be causing "irreversible" damage.

Whatever are we to do? Hark! An answer to our prayers has appeared. In fact, it's been around for a while - since 1997 to be exact. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement among many leading industrial nations to cut back greenhouse gases and attempt to save everything.

So successful has this treaty been that Japan, Russia and 125 other countries have put their John Hancock on the deal.

Still, our ever-loving caretaker, George W., refuses to sign on. He contends that the carbon emission cuts would hurt the U.S. economy - a viable argument. How thoughtful of you to put the U.S. economy first, George.

At prior times, even when Gallup Polls have consistently shown the economy to be American's number one concern, you've given it the back seat (war in Iraq). But now you are ready to fight for us.

The one thing you forgot is that we still need a place to host this funny little democracy.

Forget about the damage to the U.S. economy, what about U.S. geography? What about the purple mountains majesty, amber waves of grain, Louisiana and California?

You're a religious guy, President Bush. You remember Noah from the Bible, right? Remember the ark and all that water? Maybe you've seen Waterworld instead. Well, we might be in for something similar if we don't start becoming more environmentally conscious.

Being the United States, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, we kind of play a critical role in all this; both literally and as a role model to those other on-the-fencers - such as Egypt and the Philippines - who have yet to join the accord.

Although the protocol has been touted as, among other things, a socialist movement to transfer money to Third World countries, and global warming is considered, by some, to be a hypothesis, some countries miss the point that cutting emissions is a good thing. The positive impact to public health would be substantial: reducing sicknesses and premature deaths caused by air pollution.

Here in Michigan, Sen. Cameron Brown, R-Fawn River Twp., is trying to make some progressive moves. The senator recently supported a $1,000 tax credit for purchasers of alternative energy cars. Whether it'll pass or not is up for debate, but the sentiment is there.

On that note, it's up to us as citizens to do what we can to cut emissions, both on a personal and governmental level. The severity of the problem is one we have to handle if our corporate champion (George, again) isn't going to do something about it.