Richard Lavallee is a software engineer, Arizon and a former Republican. He said he began to worry about climate change after years of hearing about burning forests and melting snow. His daughters also influenced him to think that this was a big problem.
Then he looked at a special PBS Frontline on the effects of climate change and the role the oil industry is playing in slowing down solutions, and he knew he had to work.
“After watching this show, I decided to share my experience with everyone,” Lavallee said. “But I’ve had a hard time finding people who want to talk in depth about something like climate change in their lives. They feel it’s very big.”
He went to the neighboring network NextDoor to start a discussion about the situation, thinking that it would be a way to chat with those around him and hear different opinions while avoiding the ideas of social networking sites. relatives like Facebook.
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He cast three ballots asking his neighbors to consider whether climate change was happening, whether there were solutions and, if so, whether we should implement them.
Lavallee said the post collected nearly 1,000 comments quickly, with ideas ranging from anger to bullying to murder to curiosity. It was then deleted by the admins for being too political and was temporarily suspended from the site.
As he feels resilient to the horrific attacks and plans to resume the conversation as soon as he is allowed to return to the web site, he is concerned about the level of hostility, ruthlessness and confusion he witnessed in what he was doing. the thought would be just public discussion. about one problem and a well-known problem.
Studying fluctuations in climate beliefs
Lavallee isn’t the only one concerned about climate change. This may interest you : Are you traveling to Germany? Here’s what Americans need to know.. A study published on June 21 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences came at a time when three researchers at three different universities in three different parts of the country understood that they are stuck on one question: Why, with public access to improved scientific data on climate change at all times, does the notion of misunderstanding persist?
To get an answer, they set up an experiment in which they asked more than 4,000 study participants for their views on climate change and their policies. Afterwards, over a four-week period, participants were asked to read one article per week which was categorized as either true science fiction, climate change coverage, skeptical content or a non-fiction topic. and related.
“We’ve found that exposing science stories about climate change makes people more aware of what climate change and the threats it represents,” said Ethan Porter, co-author of the study and professor at the School of Information and Publicity. Matters at George Washington University. “However, this initial consistency is declining rapidly. What we have noticed is that people’s opinions are returning to their original (over time) perspective.”
They also found that exposing scientific facts increases participants’ support for government initiatives to tackle climate change, such as expanding the renewable energy grid. This is especially true for Republicans and Democrats.
But knowledge about the causes of climate change and what to do about it fades away over time, and the emergence of skepticism seems to be gaining momentum. Republican participants quickly returned to their original beliefs after reading an anti-science piece. At the same time, taking part in climate change has no measurable impact compared to reading an unrelated article, and trust in scientists remains unchanged altogether.
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Porter thinks this impact on public education efforts may be due to the intensity of the war and the climate change we have before us can be a difficult pill to swallow. It is not difficult and it is not difficult just to believe that it does not happen. Thus nothing will change.
“There’s something reassuring about the skepticism about climate change, of course. I think that could play a role.”
This calmness in the denial of nature creates a favorable environment for misunderstanding, as Lavallee discovered when he first sought to understand why this problem still exists.
One reason is that the fossil fuel industry is so quick to recognize in the assumption that the problem is not a problem. Two numerous examples include evidence that BP oil giant coined the term “carbon footprint” as a means of reducing the effects of smoke and shifting their responsibilities to one person, and a 1992 video by the West Fuels Association. make a bank that gives proof of that addition. carbon dioxide would do well because it is a chemical for plant growth (it is, but it is not the only role it plays in our environment).
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The answer, Porter postulates, is persistence. As much as corporate money laundering campaigns can be, spreading good news stories can do it in-ways if it is always in our lives like plastics and smoke ads. Organizations such as the Yale Program in Climate Change Communication, which follows the trends of climate change over time across the country, have seen this in practice.
He recommends finding the right sources of information and trying to consume a steady supply of quality information – stories that bring a source of evidence, telling true scientists and real journalists who produce their work relying on them to publish accurate information. Knowing the truth search sites like PolitiFact and FactChat also helps.
“Science fiction can have an impact even on people who are skeptical, at first, which is a good research,” Porter said. I encourage people to read science stories even if it sometimes feels like you are taking an exam or coming back to school. The truth about climate change is very complex. It’s time to brush your teeth and read the bad news. “
This is exactly what Richard Lavallee tried to do.
Sparking the community conversation
While waiting for his suspension from the local website, Lavallee has been thinking about the comments he received on his message and considering how to approach bringing the issue there again. On the same subject : AAA reports that more than 1 million Tennesseans will travel for Independence Day. It seeks honest communication and people to respect each other’s opinions.
“Perhaps half of the people are supportive of understanding the problem, not only do they know exactly what to do, but they are interested even if they are fulfilled,” Lavalee said. “My focus is to expose the issues we are not talking about and to weaken the resistance.”
Much of the denial that Lavallee encounters at NextDoor is based on a misunderstanding of science: that it is restricted, that there is no strong position on the causes of climate change, that it is a political deception designed to eliminate people from the hands of men.
“This is the basis of the denial, that science has not revealed. Although this has been ignored and is clear.”
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As just one example of that speculation, in April the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a new assessment report. The 3,600-page paper, written by 278 scientists from 65 countries over a five-year period – an event where it is impossible to apply the politics of any region or its beneficiaries – expresses doubt that the climate is warming, because it is human and there will be negative consequences if we do not persist in fossil fuels. After this, there is a great deal of persistent opinion on climate change among scientists, with the prevalence of no more than 3%.
After a long report, the effects of climate change can be felt directly in hurricanes, droughts and extreme night heat. On June 11 of this year, Phoenix set a new record date that the temperature could not fall below 90 degrees, in addition to entering a new record of this day of 114 degrees.
The past nine years have been among the top 10 hottest in the world, according to the National Water and Sanitation Authority. All over the world, depending on weather data often going back more than a hundred years, temperature problems are falling like a powerful fireball in rapid succession.
This weekend, as family and friends gather around the bar and try to cool off in the lake, temperatures can reach 106 degrees across parts of Arizona. When grabbing a burger or trying to keep a drink in the cold, it can be difficult to get rid of the stereotypes associated with mood swings.
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In Porter’s view, we are all responsible for engaging in war and misunderstanding the environment. But he realized it was important to organize your efforts for these difficult conversations. Sometimes, he says, it may be better to keep confronting someone and instead respond by posting credible information on your website where they can see it and enjoy exploring new strategies.
Overcoming misunderstandings may not be enough, however. Love of nature and compassion can be obstacles to the implementation of natural activities.
Lavallee noted that, at his NextDoor home, some neighbors expressed an understanding that climate change was real, but the inability to stop it. There is a lot that the United States can do, some say, about emissions in some parts of the world. (Fact check: the expulsion per person in the United States is double the amount of Chinese.)
There is also a sense of social stigma, Lavallee said, with some commentators viewing the idea of any kind of central activity as “evil.”
Lavallee said he agreed with the need to avoid the slippery slope of leaving too much power to the government. But he sees any solution to the environmental crisis as needed may require us to “behave as a team.”
Regardless of political ideology, he sees this as an important discussion “we just need to do.” Carrying out scientific facts and a desire to leave his grandchildren alive, this is what he will do on this Independence Day.
“It’s like a hole in a boat. No matter how it happens, we have to find it and fix it so we don’t all sink.”
Joan Meiners is a naturalist and storyteller in the Republic of Arizona and azcentral. Prior to becoming a journalist, she completed her PhD in Biology. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles or email her at joan.meiners@arizonarepublic.com.
How hot was the Earth before the ice age?
A collision between earth and rock at the beginning of the solar system that causes the surface to melt with heat. Read also : Biden calls the former head of DARPA as scientific advisor. Copyright NASA. Even after a collision is stopped, and the planet has thousands of years to cool down, the temperature is likely to exceed 400 ° Fahrenheit.
What was the temperature before the last snowfall? Based on their model, the researchers found that the average temperature in the world from 19,000 to 23,000 years ago reached about 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
What was the Earth like before the ice age?
There are no snows in the world and the polar regions have forests and dinosaurs that are suitable for living half a year in the dark. The biosphere has evolved, although equatorial regions have tested temperature limits.
What was the warmest period in Earth’s history?
Eocene, which occurred between 53 and 49 million years ago, is the hottest summer in the world for 100 million years.
How hot did it get during the ice age?
The team of scientists reduced the temperature during the last hail, commonly known as the Last Glacial Maximum, to about 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
How is global trade part of the solution for climate change?
By connecting people to markets, entrepreneurship helps reduce costs and spread new environmental technologies. Trade can make the use of resources more efficient, reducing stress on our environment. New trade rules can help our economy become greener, cleaner, more prosperous, and more integrated.
How does trade affect global warming? The general assumption is that opening a business will boost economic activities and therefore use energy. All right, this increase in the balance of economic activity and energy consumption will lead to higher gas emissions.
How does global trade affect the environment?
In addition, trade expansion expands the scale of supply to the world as a whole, which means that the amount of pollution and environmental damage may increase. Business must also include the use of energy for transportation, with the exception of air pollution and other environmental impacts.
What is the best solution to global climate change?
Converting major energy sources to clean energy and renewals is the best way to stop using oil. These include technologies such as solar, wind, surfing, surfing and electricity. Switch to sustainable transportation. Fuel and diesel cars, planes and ships use fuel.
Who agreed to the Paris agreement?
The agreement was signed by 175 parties (174 states and the European Union) on the opening day. As of March 2021, 194 states and the European Union have signed the agreement.
Which country has emitted the most CO2 over time?
Who contributes the most to global CO2 emissions?
- The United States emits more CO2 than any other country to date: at nearly 400 billion tons since 1751, it is responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions;
- this is twice as big as China – the second largest country in the world;
Which country has been the largest emitter of CO2 since 1850? In the first position on the rankings, the United States has released more than 509GtCO2 since 1850 and is responsible for the largest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions in history, according to a brief Carbon survey, with nearly 20% of the world’s total.
