Climate Change And Crappy News

[Beldonia]

You do know that not all conservatives think alike, right? Or that anti-rational folks on the left aren't helping either, by for example, continuing to mindlessly oppose nuclear power despite its obvious utility at reducing global warming?

True and true. I wasn't trying to imply that ALL conservatives deny global warming. Many do.

As for your other point, I strongly agree with you. Acknowledging global warming but doing nothing about it gets us nowhere. Additionally, it's annoying that many leftists will adore science when it tries to prove global warming but hide from it when the debate turns to nuclear energy.

[Kazirstan]

You do know that not all conservatives think alike, right? Or that anti-rational folks on the left aren't helping either, by for example, continuing to mindlessly oppose nuclear power despite its obvious utility at reducing global warming?

True and true. I wasn't trying to imply that ALL conservatives deny global warming. Many do.

As for your other point, I strongly agree with you. Acknowledging global warming but doing nothing about it gets us nowhere. Additionally, it's annoying that many leftists will adore science when it tries to prove global warming but hide from it when the debate turns to nuclear energy.

As a leftist and an environmentalist, I support nuclear power. It's pretty much emmisionless and produces a buttload of energy. But I can see where the more extreme greens are coming from, the waste is a hassle to get rid of and when a reactor fails, it usually fails bad. The recent nuclear debacle in Japan is only giving them more ammunition.

[Tule]

The news channels that challenge climate change are doing so because it attracts the climate change denying audience. It has nothing to do with truth or science, news in have in many countries simply become entertainment disguised as news.

[Beldonia]

True and true. I wasn't trying to imply that ALL conservatives deny global warming. Many do.

As for your other point, I strongly agree with you. Acknowledging global warming but doing nothing about it gets us nowhere. Additionally, it's annoying that many leftists will adore science when it tries to prove global warming but hide from it when the debate turns to nuclear energy.

As a leftist and an environmentalist, I support nuclear power. It's pretty much emmisionless and produces a buttload of energy. But I can see where the more extreme greens are coming from, the waste is a hassle to get rid of and when a reactor fails, it usually fails bad. The recent nuclear debacle in Japan is only giving them more ammunition.

Sure, I can see it too. But personally, I'm more comfortable with the consequences of nuclear energy than I am with the consequences of using more traditional methods as much as we do, especially since situations like the Japan debacle are relatively infrequent.

[Laerod]

But if climate change is real, why isn't it happening like in The Day After Tomorrow?

Have you seen Buffalo, New York in the last few days? :p

Have you seen Europe this and last year? I live slightly lower in latitude than Edmonton and I missed the two days we had snow since winter 2012.

[Northwest Slobovia]

You do know that not all conservatives think alike, right? Or that anti-rational folks on the left aren't helping either, by for example, continuing to mindlessly oppose nuclear power despite its obvious utility at reducing global warming?

True and true. I wasn't trying to imply that ALL conservatives deny global warming. Many do.

As for your other point, I strongly agree with you. Acknowledging global warming but doing nothing about it gets us nowhere. Additionally, it's annoying that many leftists will adore science when it tries to prove global warming but hide from it when the debate turns to nuclear energy.

Unfortunately, that's all too typical, regardless of political beliefs: scientific data, polls, laws/referenda are all good when they're supporting people's pet beliefs, but obviously junk when they don't. But it is a bit grating to read that the difficulties doing anything about global warming can be blamed on somebody else, who are clearly stupid and poorly informed, but people who agree with the speaker are clearly correct... while conveniently ignoring stupidity on the part of people who buy the same brand of politics as the speaker.

Not to mention "Stop the <name of large scale wind or solar project>! Save the endangered <species>!", as though all those species won't be wiped out if nobody can build the huge wind and solar farms to replace the current energy sources. (Disclaimer: I'm in the solar business, so I have just a little bias about the matter...)

[Atlanticatia]

You do know that not all conservatives think alike, right? Or that anti-rational folks on the left aren't helping either, by for example, continuing to mindlessly oppose nuclear power despite its obvious utility at reducing global warming?

In a way, I think it is, because things like abortion law or same sex marriage can easily be protected by writing a law, whereas if we ignore climate change, it's stuck with us forever.

It'll take care of itself eventually. We just may not be around to see it.

Even leaving aside climate change denial, it's not clear people really want to do what's necessary to stop it. This mentions that Germany's bailing on its CO₂ reduction targets. (It's a blog entry, but it's properly linked to legitimate sources.)

In the US, general polls on dealing with the problem say that people are in favor, but when pollsters ask about paying for it, people are less enthusiastic. Obviously, people who don't believe the climate is changing (or that people have nothing to do with it) can't be arsed to pay for fixing it, but that's not everybody. Also obviously, the last two polls have a certain source bias to them, but nonetheless, the results appear valid for the questions asked, that is, "how much money are you willing to spend?". (I found some other polls with different results, but they're more than ten years old, so it's not clear they'd apply today, even if one were to accept their results.)

Climate change denial is definitely contributing to that weak support, though. If all the rhetoric in the media was urgent-sounding, and reflected what scientists believe - that climate change is a real problem, caused by humans, and that we must act strongly and immediately to stop it; then peoples' opinions will change. The skeptic media lessens the seriousness of climate change by suggesting that it's up for debate.

And on a side note, I do agree with you about the nuclear power thing. As someone who is pretty environmentally-conscious (if that's a term) and on the left, I think that nuclear power is definitely a good and environmentally friendly power source. However, I think that it's a second-tier source, i.e. it's much more preferable to use renewable and clean energy, like hydro/solar/wind power first, but obviously it isn't possible to have 100% of power from those sources in all places. If we can't use that - and the other alternative is dirty/non-renewable energy, like oil, then I'm 100% supportive of nuclear power. (that's my opinion, at least)

[Willy Brandt]

To deny climate change is to deny something we our witnessing at this very moment. Simply put, to deny climate change is really fucking stupid.

[The Orson Empire]

Denying climate change is extremely dangerous, because if we pretend it doesn't exist and keep spewing these pollutants into the environment, we will eventually pay for our ignorance, and it will not be pretty. As an example, climate change could rise Earth's average surface temperature high enough and put so much carbon in the atmosphere that crops will no longer be able to grow, and thus, there will be very little food.

[Apparatchikstan]

Denying climate change is extremely dangerous, because if we pretend it doesn't exist and keep spewing these pollutants into the environment, we will eventually pay for our ignorance, and it will not be pretty. As an example, climate change could rise Earth's average surface temperature high enough and put so much carbon in the atmosphere that crops will no longer be able to grow, and thus, there will be very little food.

This was supposed to happen at least twice already in my lifetime. The alarmists have done much damage to the layman's trust of "scientific" news. I find it delightfully ironic that the general public are excercising more healthy skeptisism than the supposed researchers, who have subverted the scientific method with preconcieved political consensus. It's one thing to deny that 2+2=4, but when your research isn't quite so concise, politicizing your theories doesn't help credibility with the average information consumer.

[MERIZoC]

As opposed to "trust corporations. Corporations are your friend"?

Yes. Corporations don't enforce the law. Try to influence it to their advantage, sure, but who doesn't?

But still, anybody who blindly trusts either one deserves what they're gonna get.

It's everyone that suffers.

[Lenciland]

Climate change is absolutely real. Networks should be held responsible for providing objective news. That doesn't mean the PC bullshit either. If some schmuck says something idiotic and untrue they should point, they shouldn't accomodate lies on their networks. Unfortunately, media has become so thoroughly convoluted that this ideal is probably unattainable.

[Jordsindia]

Denying climate change is pretty ignorant. It doesn't even make sense.

Denying it exists or denying the effects it actually will have?

[Myrensis]

But if climate change is real, why isn't it happening like in The Day After Tomorrow?

Have you seen Buffalo, New York in the last few days?

But it snowed! If global warming were real, it couldn't get cold anymore! Checkmate "scientists".

[Tubbsalot]

I find it delightfully ironic that the general public are excercising more healthy skeptisism than the supposed researchers, who have subverted the scientific method with preconcieved political consensus

You know, I never thought about it before, but that all makes perfect sense. Assuming you know literally nothing whatsoever about climate change. Or science.

The Dunning-Kruger effect in action, everybody.

[Olerand]

American culture needs to adopt the idea that "if this isn't the shit you specialize in, then shut the fuck up." If you are not a climatologist, refrain from making comments on this subject. Not a doctor? Don't give medical advice. Not an architect? Don't try to build a building. Etc.

[Northwest Slobovia]

American culture needs to adopt the idea that "if this isn't the shit you specialize in, then shut the fuck up." If you are not a climatologist, refrain from making comments on this subject. Not a doctor? Don't give medical advice. Not an architect? Don't try to build a building. Etc.

It's not the specialty, it's the evidence and the reasoning. So, we want "American culture needs to adopt the idea that 'if you don't know what the fuck you're talking about, then shut the fuck up.'"

(Not you, Olerand, the generic second person "you". English, she makes it so hard to write rightly. )

[Margno]

If it ticks you off that people who you say are wrong are allowed to speak, you're the problem.

[Colbert Super PAC]

It's snowing in New York therefore global warming can't be real.

Checkmate Al Gore!

[Jamjai]

just look outside the window in Beijing

people with masks

[Aahmerica]

Well ive seen too many articles from "scientists" or whatever claiming its real, and claiming its not. So to be honest.... I don't care anymore.

Heres some right wing propoganda

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/09/23/the-10-top-inconvenient-truths-about-the-climate-change-hoax/

http://www.newsmax.com/MKTNews/global-warming-hoax-facts/2014/10/17/id/601458/

[Toronina]

Climate change always existed, just go with the flow. Our ancestors weren't killed by it.

Until the 18th Century, we didn't have giant coal plants.

[Toronina]

To deny climate change, when it is happening right in front of us, is stupid.

[Toronina]

Well ive seen too many articles from "scientists" or whatever claiming its real, and claiming its not. So to be honest.... I don't care anymore.

Heres some right wing propoganda

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/09/23/the-10-top-inconvenient-truths-about-the-climate-change-hoax/

http://www.newsmax.com/MKTNews/global-warming-hoax-facts/2014/10/17/id/601458/

That first one. First time someone has brought polar bears into the mix. If there is a god why do idiots like the Tea Party exist?

[Duvniask]

This continued denial of climate change is incredibly stupid, and it's quite dangerous in the long-term. It only perpetuates ignorance whenever the media gives false validity to such garbage. It's their job not to make outright lies and deny the fact that we're headed towards catastrophe.