Our ability to analyze and model the earth’s climate is
simply amazing. Since the 15th
century, we have strived to make sense of what is happening to the planet. In
18th century, meteorologists traveled the world to figure out ways
to collect data and maintain accuracies. The 19th century brought us
the standardization of temperature recordings, implementation of computerized
modeling, the beginning of a physical model of the earth, and of course views
from space. The question remains, how do we go about communicating all of this
to the 21st century? How do we paint the big picture for the world
to see? Do we minimalize the strenuous equations for the sake of public understanding?
Or do we strive to educate the public more and more? The fact is that climate
“deniers” have succeeded in telling history a completely different way.
First, I
believe we have to do better marketing in the advertisement industry. We have
to outline the non-political truths about climate change. Use real time evidence of change and real
human impact other than the polar caps melting. It is clear that advertising of
another region in ruins is started to fade as we see technology detach
human emotions. Neat things like showing how carbon dioxide works in the
atmosphere in Climate
Wars (see 21:00 mark). Teach the
basics as to how it necessarily works. Show that temperature recordings from
thousands of years ago are possible with science that attracts interest, like
the ice
core. We are not tree-huggers, but rather people who are hoping to be able
to slow down the record-high temperatures and the drastic storms.
In
addition, use integrity in saying that we must change as a tool. Make it clear that there is opposition that
has skewed what is going on. We have to say more than: “it’s the rich people
selling us lies.” In comparison, look at the success of the grassroots campaign
of President Obama during his first election. He made clear that it’s through
our community-based efforts that we can produce change. He polarized the Republican party, and in a
sense have not allowed them to speak to their true values because they opposed
him so staunchly. The public needs to
know that it’s a long road to even slow down what is happening now, but it’s never
too late to make efforts to stop the out of control CO2 emissions.
We have to
be honest about how changing the rules on C02 emissions is going to challenge
American businesses. It’s going to change the way we live our daily lives.
However, there are some things that are going to stay relatively the same.
We’ve been honest to our US Government, but A
Vast Machine (Edwards, 2010) has clearly shown that they have stood along
the side of America as it stands today. They showed us in 1996 that they valued
American business over efficiency with the failure to purchase advanced
Japanese supercomputers to enhance our Global Circulation Models over American
computers (Chapter 7). The third episode of climate
wars showed us that the Bush Administration blatantly hired someone to
cover the science behind climate change.
Be honest to the people of this country so that we can move forward.
Religion
has been a loud voice in this country for years. There is no doubt that it has
impacted our culture and value systems. We have worked to make sure that it has
not intermixed into our politics, but at some instances, it has become
inevitable. People have been able to manipulate the science to paint it as
another belief system here in our country. I say all of this for two reasons. First, we can easily market how this is not
the case with all of the other science that has led to modernized developments
that we see today. We know science isn’t exact. We also know that it doesn’t
have to be exact for it to be accurate. It doesn’t have to be exact for there to
be policy surrounding what we know about science. The “inversion” of
analysis/data in A Vast Machine might
be the hardest thing to swallow as climate scientists. We have to show that the
inversions are simply showing the same trends from previous methodologies and
that they have still left behind consistent truths about our current climate.
Secondly, as naïve as these claims sound, they are probably the most important
to take down in front of the public eye.
These false claims are the scapegoats that many Americans take because
the issue is larger than us.
This leads
me to the final point to mention as we attempt to market the importance of
climate change. We must publish a plan. This has to be an interdisciplinary,
multi-faceted plan to stop global warming. The public has to see a solution to
the issue that we are bringing, instead of just noting that there is a problem.
The plan must include a focus in education at younger levels. As we can see,
this takes more than scientists to produce change. It takes business people,
lawyers, researchers, architects, engineers and teachers. It should include how
we go about our day-to-day lives. No, it should not be a new culture that we
invent to make people change their lives. It should be a true focus in industry.
The plan could have demonstrations done
by our most wealthy influencers, our celebrities. Imagine if kids watched
LeBron James bike to Quicken Loans arena because it’s healthy and because he
wants to lower C02 emissions. Imagine
if you saw a press release that Ray Lewis issued talking about small things on
climate change that can have large impact. Imagine if Steven Spielberg put
together a film that changed our opinions for decades. Social media would buzz if celebrities added
on a “hashtagged” fact after #Blacklivesmatter is posted. Our voice must be heard, but it won’t go far
if we don’t change the way we market our science.
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