I recently had a chance to read the book Climate Myths: The Campaign Against Climate Science
. This book explored ways that warnings about global warming and other ecological change is being shut down by major industries through misleading data and marketing campaigns. I had a chance to interview the author about the book and what he learned while working on it. It's a very interesting read, both for people who already believe in global warming and want more information, and for people who don't think it's a real threat but are willing to learn more.1) Why did you write this book?
The short answer: To do what I can to help protect the climate.
Medium answer: To help raise public awareness about the dangers of climate change to ourselves but most particularly to our children and grandchildren and future generations.
Longer answer: To refute myths about climate change that confuse people about its dangers, impacts, and what should be done about it. My hope is to thereby help clear away misunderstandings that stand in the way of effective action to lessen the extent of climate change. Once people understand how the confusion over climate change was manufactured and then cleverly spread around the country by the fossil fuel industry--and what their financial motives are--their credibility will erode. That process has already begun. It's well known that lies and deceit cannot stand the light of day and will eventually give way to truth.
2) What was the biggest surprise you found while you were writing this book?
Medium answer: To help raise public awareness about the dangers of climate change to ourselves but most particularly to our children and grandchildren and future generations.
Longer answer: To refute myths about climate change that confuse people about its dangers, impacts, and what should be done about it. My hope is to thereby help clear away misunderstandings that stand in the way of effective action to lessen the extent of climate change. Once people understand how the confusion over climate change was manufactured and then cleverly spread around the country by the fossil fuel industry--and what their financial motives are--their credibility will erode. That process has already begun. It's well known that lies and deceit cannot stand the light of day and will eventually give way to truth.
2) What was the biggest surprise you found while you were writing this book?
There
were a few big surprises. Number one was how flimsy the fossil fuel
industry's arguments actually are, yet how far the industry has gone
with them. For close to a quarter of a century now, they've managed to
confuse a large portion of the public, legislators, and the media. As a
result, they've succeeded in stalling much-needed climate protection
legislation and even thwarted international climate negotiations.
Another big surprise was the pervasiveness of their disinformation
campaign--the large number of think tanks and other client organization
on the fossil fuel payroll, all echoing the industry's mantras. Another
surprise was the industry's no-stone-left unturned approach to the
spread of disinformation, even targeting defenseless and innocent school
children.
Finally, it was surprising to learn the extent to which science denial has been used in the past by various self-interested industries as a tactic to minimize or deny other public health hazards, including pesticides, asbestos, tobacco, and ozone-destroying chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs). Some of the same people prominent in climate science denial were also actually involved in those earlier denial efforts.
Finally, it was surprising to learn the extent to which science denial has been used in the past by various self-interested industries as a tactic to minimize or deny other public health hazards, including pesticides, asbestos, tobacco, and ozone-destroying chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs). Some of the same people prominent in climate science denial were also actually involved in those earlier denial efforts.
3) When people read this book, how can they take action on what they've read?
There
are an infinite number of ways people can take action and millions of
things that need to be done. Change comes from the bottom up. Once
people have informed themselves and really understand the issues, they
need to use whatever talents and skills and abilities they have in the
best way you know how. As someone wisely said, there is unfortunately no
magic answer, no silver bullet, but there is silver buckshot. No one
size fits all action, no simple formula to follow, but manyuseful
effective things to do. In general, it's very important to become
knowledgeable about the issue, join and support organizations that are
active on this issue, and set a good personal example that will inspire.
Many good books exist providing roadmaps for what needs to be done.
Sharon J. Smith has written a great book for environmental activists of
all kinds called, The Young Activist's Guide to Building a Green Movement and Changing the World. Guy Dauncey has a terrific book The Climate Challenge: 101 Solutions
to Global Warming.
Once people dig deeply enough into the subject of climate change, they
will realize eventually that this is an "all-hands on deck" emergency,
so we all have to pitch in in an effort to protect the climate. That
work will not be easy. I'd be lying to you if I said so. Change of this
magnitude and nature will be hard and will be fiercely resisted by
powerful industrial interests, and it will require strenuous effort from
masses of people in order for right to prevail over might. A mass
movement needs to be built around climate protection and safe energy. I
address the broad question of what should be done at greater length in
an interview I did a few months ago for an international online magazine
called Synchronized Chaos.
4) What are some easy ways that people can reduce their impact on the climate?
Use as little fossil fuel as possible. It sounds trite but walking, cycling, car pooling, and using public transit really do reduce your carbon footprint. When you can, use videoconferencing or telecommuting to avoid unnecessary travel. If you can, put solar on your roof and buy 100% green power if your utility offers it. Make your home, school, and workplace as energy efficient as possible. You may even choose to eat a little lower and more locally on the food chain so that not as much fossil fuel and water is consumed to raise your food. All this will be helpful and will set important examples and educate people and may even save you money, but it will not be sufficient to bring the kind of deep and far ranging changes we rapidly need to see in the way society obtains and consumes energy. While change has to begin from the bottom, it's not enough for it to stay there. It has to also percolate upwards until it puts enough pressure on political leaders who formulate national and international policies--and control vast power and enormous sums of money--so as to create the great changes needed.
5) Where can people go to find more information? 4) What are some easy ways that people can reduce their impact on the climate?
Use as little fossil fuel as possible. It sounds trite but walking, cycling, car pooling, and using public transit really do reduce your carbon footprint. When you can, use videoconferencing or telecommuting to avoid unnecessary travel. If you can, put solar on your roof and buy 100% green power if your utility offers it. Make your home, school, and workplace as energy efficient as possible. You may even choose to eat a little lower and more locally on the food chain so that not as much fossil fuel and water is consumed to raise your food. All this will be helpful and will set important examples and educate people and may even save you money, but it will not be sufficient to bring the kind of deep and far ranging changes we rapidly need to see in the way society obtains and consumes energy. While change has to begin from the bottom, it's not enough for it to stay there. It has to also percolate upwards until it puts enough pressure on political leaders who formulate national and international policies--and control vast power and enormous sums of money--so as to create the great changes needed.
I've put pages and pages of great resources for further information at the back of Climate Myths. If you follow those leads onto the web and into the library, you'll soon be drowning in information. In addition, within a couple of months, my newest book Climate Peril will also be available; it describes the many dangers that rapid climate change presents to human health and the environment. A third volume of mine called Climate Solutions will be coming out in 2014 spelling out what needs to be done to slow climate change before irreversible damage is done to the climate, assuming that that has not yet occurred.
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