I read the article in The Post-Journal on November 16-17 about “Preparing For A Climate Disaster.” There was a time when climate change was viewed as pure nonsense. The article should not be taken lightly. The bad news is climate change is a serious possibility. The good news is, if it’s not too late, help is on the horizon. We could have had a 30-year jump on the problem.

Stanley Meyer patented the water engine on March 15, 1994. Meyer’s invention would have changed the automotive and oil industry as we now know it. The water-powered engine was the result of 20 years of research and dedication, and he claimed it was capable of converting tap water into enough hydrogen fuel to drive his car from one end of the country to the other. It was also a non polluting engine. The net effect of this engine was “zero carbon pollution”.

On March 21, 1998, Meyer was having lunch at a Cracker Barrel with his brother and two potential investors. The four made a toast to their commitment. Meyer took a sip of his cranberry juice, clutched his throat and ran outside. Rushing after him, his brother Stephen found him down on his knees, vomiting violently. He uttered his last words to his brother, “They poisoned me.” (Editor’s note: Franklin County coroners found Meyer died from a cerebral aneurysm likely caused by high blood pressure).

Meyer’s invention was a threat to billions of oil industry dollars and fortunes. He resisted numerous buy out offers. That’s how confident he was about his water engine. His invention would change the automotive industry. It worked through an electric water fuel cell, which divided any kind of water — including salt water — into its fundamental elements of hydrogen and oxygen.

And now Toyota and Elon Musk are touting their water engines. According to statistics, cars release approximately 333 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, which is about 20 percent of the world’s total. These new engines admit zero carbon in the atmosphere. The savings in gasoline alone is enough to get excited about the water engine. It’s a win win situation for everyone and without the pollution generated by the gasoline combustion engines.

It has been reported that there are 8.2 billion people in the world. India and China represent 37.17% of the population while the United States has about 4.23 %. We cannot expect serious results without their cooperation. There is no reason why they would not be on board because the net cost of this new engine would be extremely beneficial in many ways.

I sure hope I will be around to witness this incredible invention that could possibly save the planet. Today I think all of us are itching for alternative fuel vehicles, if for no other reason than the tremendous environmental impact created by a completely carbon free engine. The million dollar question is what’s taking so long? Too bad we can’t ask Stanley Meyer.

Bruce Piatz is a Jamestown resident.