Canada's Parliament Building
I’ve recently devoted more than a few words to describing Republicans’ dishonesty about climate change. That’s only sure to ramp up as the 2012 election approaches.
But just to the north of the U.S., there’s an election less than a week away. And whether you’re a Canadian voting in the election, a U.S. citizen curious about what views are beyond our binary system, or someone that cares about climate change, how it all shakes out matters.
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America versus Canada might conjure up images of hockey. However, the Brookings Institution put out a new study that looks not at hockey but perceptions of climate change. The findings show that there are some key similarities and differences between the two countries’ citizens.
The report, released earlier this month, summarizes the results of polls taken in both countries. Overall, results shows Canadians are more accepting of the science of climate change than Americans by a long shot.
The Results
Eighty percent of Canadians accept that the globe is warming while only 58 percent of Americans do. Conversely, the...
Lately, Republicans in the House of Representatives have been derided for their attitudes for climate change here. This is not because of any political ill will but because of their ignorance that is absolutely appalling. It brings me no pleasure to write about people who earn $174,000 a year to be informed decision makers being anything but. But in the interest of shedding light on what goes on on Capitol Hill, here’s the latest installment.
Today the House...
Last year, I wrote an article coming out against Earth Hour, pegging it as a regressive way of showing your support for climate change action. A year later, have my feelings changed about Earth Hour? Yes and no.
First, the progress. Flipping through Twitter, I saw that World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the creator of Earth Hour, was asking people to retweet a message about the event. The message? That 1.3 billion people voluntarily took place in Earth Hour last year.
That’s an amazing...
How would Noah of Biblical fame feel about climate change if he were around today? Would he see floods as an act of God or humans? New research from the United Kingdom suggests the latter.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Cardiff University surveyed 1822 Britons for a study published in Nature Climate Change this week. They asked subjects about their acceptance of climate change and their willingness to act.
The difference between the control group and the treatment group was that the latter had direct experience...
The “nays†had it yesterday. At a meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, all 31 Republicans voted against amendments stating that climate change is real. The Party of No has spoken, and it doesn’t bode well for the US to be a global leader on the environment.
Yesterday, three Democrats including Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced amendments about climate science. There wasn’t a word about policy. Just the science.
Rep. DeGette used the language that “the scientific...
The scale of the tragedy in Japan is still unfolding. As search and rescue continues for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami, the potential of another catastrophe looms.
Over the last few days, Japan’s Fukushima nuclear reactor has become unstable, with the potential of at least a partial meltdown distinctly possible. In the past year, nuclear power has been touted as a climate change solution here in the US. The government has issued new permits for the first time in decades. Now might be an important moment to pause and rethink that, though, or at least weigh the benefits of mitigating...
The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held hearings on climate change yesterday. Ostensibly the hearing was a chance to showcase the state of the science. In reality, it showcased a Republican anti-science ignorance and a complete lack of innovation.
The hearing was convened at the request of Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Bobby Rush (D-IL). The subcommittee is currently considering a bill that would kill the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate greenhouse gases.
To have a “rounded†view of the science,...
And the award for first carbon neutral media company in the world goes to? Drum roll please! News Corp. Yes, you read right. The parent company of Fox News, home to some of the worst climate misinformation in the media, is a leader when it comes to climate change.
News Corp made the announcement yesterday. They achieved carbon neutrality through a combination of increases in efficiency and use of renewable energy as well as carbon offsets.
While the discord between the views espoused through Fox News and other News Corp outlets and the company’s...
What are the politics of physics? This is the question I posed to a family member this weekend. We were discussing the reality of climate change. If you’ve been following me for the past year, you know where I stand. Unfortunately, a couple of my family members along with a good chunk of Americans don’t get it.
So in honor of my family, I’d like to indulge in a quick physics lesson. Because at its root, climate change is a physics problem. At its root, it’s this simple concept: energy in equals energy out.
I’m writing this...