Even if the Bush administration has its head in the sand, many businesses in the U.S. are treating global warming as a reality. Atmos Energy Co., a natural-gas distributing company, has spent millions on weather insurance. If Atmos’s customers use less gas to heat their homes because of warmer temperatures, the insurance policy will offset the company’s operating losses. Another example: Colorado ski companies are discounting tickets to coax people back to their resorts after two winters of little snow. And Great Lakes shipping companies are asking Congress for dredging to help them cope with falling water levels.
