As Nick Kristoff of the NYTimes wrote many years ago, “the media likes to cover planes that crash, not planes that soar!” This focus on the negativity leads to hopelessness, which leads to inaction. We need to talk about this with our friends, family, colleagues etc.... Remind people that the legacy media makes money by focusing on the negative and that this negative focus is not balanced with what’s really happening.
There is really a tremendous amount of good news. Zion, you pointed out a few great examples. There are many environmental success stories from the ozone hole getting smaller to amazing recovery of rivers and other bodies of water getting cleaned up and wildlife returning (Mother Nature is VERY RESILIENT!!!). So many people working together to make the planet better isn’t headline news.
Many times people don’t want to spend a little time doing research (I’m guilty of this sometimes 😀). Dig deeper, reading opposing viewpoints outside of our echo chambers is important.
Let’s have examples of these success stories handy to share with everyone. Remind them that they can make a big difference in this world. This narrative can be flipped. It will be hard but it starts with one conversation at a time. I have a close friend whose daughter is REALLY depressed and hopeless. What I am going to do after typing this loooong comment is send this article to my friend to give to his daughter. I’m not sure it will help but it is a start. Then next time I see her I’ll discuss this article, see what she thinks. I’m interested to see how much it helps. I’m optimistic it will!
Thank you for reading my comment. I’m looking forward to reading your comments and learning something from you that I can use when I wake up tomorrow - and see the beautiful sunrise that isn’t going ANYWHERE!
I am not part of extinction rebellion because I agree that their methods are counter effective and as someone who studied nuclear energy engineering I don't like how they are dogmaticly anti-nuclear.
I do at times find it hard to stay optimistic. Not because I fear a collapse coming in the coming years but because I can see the effects of climate change and am bothered by the lack of government action (or even moving backwards such as Germany is doing).
I agree with you utterly. Perhaps you can share some conversations you have had when discussing the various aspects of climate change, green energy vs the benefits of oil and gas as an energy source, etc. with someone hell bent on doomsday scenarios. Thanks for the article.
Get them interested in outdoor sports. Let them see that the same places are there under similar conditions each year. Scuba diving, hiking, snow skiing, fishing, camping, hunting. Let them see the are part of that ecosystem, how it works, what threatens it, what helps it. Teach them the history of environmental messes in America like Love Canal, Times Beach, Missouri, and the Cuyahoga river (actually) on fire. Then how we started to get wealthier and care, passed laws to put an end to that type of thing. The further laws (Clean Air Act. or CAA; Clean Water Act, or CWA).
Today, while a long way from perfect. we are not creating any new Love Canals or Times Beaches.
Whatever approach, teach them that panic is the worst thing to do.
Fear mongering has a price, and many young people are receptive to it. Being a parent changes you.
It's also nice to see someone with your background/history come around to see that nuclear has to play a role in decarbonization and electrification.
We can have balance between increasing human prosperity and reduced environmental impact.
The environmental Kuznets curve is a very real phenomenon, but it requires increasing prosperity to a level (per capita GDP) that society will choose to spend wealth to reduce environmental impact once its needs are met and the wolf isn't at the door.
Although the situation is not as extreme as the most doomist sayings are it is super dangerous to not worry immensely. Potentially billions of people will die from the climate crisis and even more will be displaced. We shouldn't have to have a total apocalypse before we start to care. Also the media and politicians are not reflecting the situation as given by sciences in the level of seriousness and crisis attitude it deserves. They do need to "tell the truth". We are in an extremely dangerous situation. We are in the middle of a mass extinction. We need to stop the denial and cognitive dissonance about this. A lot of developments are going the right way, but they are nowhere near stopping the catastrophe. We need to stop "doomerism" with facts and hope. But the facts are not pretty and the hope is too slim. Activism is justified until we are on a path that can guarantee a livable future. And yes a future with lack of food, water and 3 billion climate refugees is not livable even though it is not "total" apocalypse.
Hello Friends!
Great article Zion!
As Nick Kristoff of the NYTimes wrote many years ago, “the media likes to cover planes that crash, not planes that soar!” This focus on the negativity leads to hopelessness, which leads to inaction. We need to talk about this with our friends, family, colleagues etc.... Remind people that the legacy media makes money by focusing on the negative and that this negative focus is not balanced with what’s really happening.
There is really a tremendous amount of good news. Zion, you pointed out a few great examples. There are many environmental success stories from the ozone hole getting smaller to amazing recovery of rivers and other bodies of water getting cleaned up and wildlife returning (Mother Nature is VERY RESILIENT!!!). So many people working together to make the planet better isn’t headline news.
Many times people don’t want to spend a little time doing research (I’m guilty of this sometimes 😀). Dig deeper, reading opposing viewpoints outside of our echo chambers is important.
Let’s have examples of these success stories handy to share with everyone. Remind them that they can make a big difference in this world. This narrative can be flipped. It will be hard but it starts with one conversation at a time. I have a close friend whose daughter is REALLY depressed and hopeless. What I am going to do after typing this loooong comment is send this article to my friend to give to his daughter. I’m not sure it will help but it is a start. Then next time I see her I’ll discuss this article, see what she thinks. I’m interested to see how much it helps. I’m optimistic it will!
Thank you for reading my comment. I’m looking forward to reading your comments and learning something from you that I can use when I wake up tomorrow - and see the beautiful sunrise that isn’t going ANYWHERE!
Have a great night
John
Thank you for writing this.
I am not part of extinction rebellion because I agree that their methods are counter effective and as someone who studied nuclear energy engineering I don't like how they are dogmaticly anti-nuclear.
I do at times find it hard to stay optimistic. Not because I fear a collapse coming in the coming years but because I can see the effects of climate change and am bothered by the lack of government action (or even moving backwards such as Germany is doing).
I agree with you utterly. Perhaps you can share some conversations you have had when discussing the various aspects of climate change, green energy vs the benefits of oil and gas as an energy source, etc. with someone hell bent on doomsday scenarios. Thanks for the article.
Get them interested in outdoor sports. Let them see that the same places are there under similar conditions each year. Scuba diving, hiking, snow skiing, fishing, camping, hunting. Let them see the are part of that ecosystem, how it works, what threatens it, what helps it. Teach them the history of environmental messes in America like Love Canal, Times Beach, Missouri, and the Cuyahoga river (actually) on fire. Then how we started to get wealthier and care, passed laws to put an end to that type of thing. The further laws (Clean Air Act. or CAA; Clean Water Act, or CWA).
Today, while a long way from perfect. we are not creating any new Love Canals or Times Beaches.
Whatever approach, teach them that panic is the worst thing to do.
Well done, Zion.
Fear mongering has a price, and many young people are receptive to it. Being a parent changes you.
It's also nice to see someone with your background/history come around to see that nuclear has to play a role in decarbonization and electrification.
We can have balance between increasing human prosperity and reduced environmental impact.
The environmental Kuznets curve is a very real phenomenon, but it requires increasing prosperity to a level (per capita GDP) that society will choose to spend wealth to reduce environmental impact once its needs are met and the wolf isn't at the door.
I appreciate your courage.
Although the situation is not as extreme as the most doomist sayings are it is super dangerous to not worry immensely. Potentially billions of people will die from the climate crisis and even more will be displaced. We shouldn't have to have a total apocalypse before we start to care. Also the media and politicians are not reflecting the situation as given by sciences in the level of seriousness and crisis attitude it deserves. They do need to "tell the truth". We are in an extremely dangerous situation. We are in the middle of a mass extinction. We need to stop the denial and cognitive dissonance about this. A lot of developments are going the right way, but they are nowhere near stopping the catastrophe. We need to stop "doomerism" with facts and hope. But the facts are not pretty and the hope is too slim. Activism is justified until we are on a path that can guarantee a livable future. And yes a future with lack of food, water and 3 billion climate refugees is not livable even though it is not "total" apocalypse.