Growing Public Apathy on Climate Change Topic Worries Scientists

[flarty]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

I can see you have done a lot of research on the issue.
Tell me how do these articles fit into that theory?
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/18/drought-us-states-crop-damage
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/snowstorm-nemo-strikes-northeast-article-1.1259465
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/13/uk-floods-essential-guide
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/record-setting-heat-wave-in-au/21789651

That's just the richer countries and only in the past few years.

OT: Part of it is that it's been spun as part of a massive prisoner dilemma. Where if [your country] takes all the right steps, others will take economic advantage and the environment is still fucked. So therefore, the spin says keep on doing what you're doing.

What I think should be done is more micro-scale. If YOUR water supply is conserved YOU don't run out of water. If YOUR CITY goes green, YOU breath easier. Scale that up to the national level as well, where each country has their own "our environment is dying" issues.

I think the argument of losing out economically is BS in all honesty. If countries went green they would start to become more self sufficient, meaning lees investment in fossil fuels and less importing of other goods. This would get trade deficits down considerably. The other side of the coin is a lot of jobs could be created from investment in renewable and carbon capture technology in research and manufacturing and maintenance alone, not to mention other industries will also benefit one incredible small one would be telemetry.

Yes i agree the best way to tackle climate change is through a transition of decentralisation. Take a population area and see what it needs to be self sufficient. If a city is near the sea invest in tidal energy to power it, if its high up invest in wind farms etc. Amongst other things that need another look like water supply as you mentioned and farming (including timber), and more that i cant think of atm. This would also create the need for high skill sets in population areas. So instead of people going to higher education and moving to another population area to find work, they could return home and more than likely find employment in that area.

I think the problem at the moment is the big multi nationals are so vested in the current regime where centralisation is key to maximising profits that no one dare do nothing serious about, then we have the politcians who deluded here in the UK and US that the free market will provide all.

 

[Micalas]

To be fair, the public's opinion doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot when it comes to public policy. If politicians and corporations want climate change laws, there will be climate change laws. If politicians and corporations don't want climate change laws, there won't be climate change laws. Public opinion be damned.

 

[gigastar]

Im of the opinion that we need a mass extinction event anyway.

Well then you'll be happy to know we're living one.

I meant that humans needed a mass extinction event.

To what end? And why?

People are saying the oddest things in this thread.

If nothing else, it will force the issue that we brought our own doom upon ourselves.

Assuming theres anyone left to care, that is.

It will also bring a much needed culling of the human population.

 

[Zato-1]

Im of the opinion that we need a mass extinction event anyway.

Well then you'll be happy to know we're living one.

I meant that humans needed a mass extinction event.

To what end? And why?

People are saying the oddest things in this thread.

If nothing else, it will force the issue that we brought our own doom upon ourselves.

Assuming theres anyone left to care, that is.

It will also bring a much needed culling of the human population.

I am very, very glad that you're not in a position of political power.

 

[gigastar]

Im of the opinion that we need a mass extinction event anyway.

Well then you'll be happy to know we're living one.

I meant that humans needed a mass extinction event.

To what end? And why?

People are saying the oddest things in this thread.

If nothing else, it will force the issue that we brought our own doom upon ourselves.

Assuming theres anyone left to care, that is.

It will also bring a much needed culling of the human population.

I am very, very glad that you're not in a position of political power.

As if theres anywhere in the world where i could pull that shit uninterrupted.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Do you think caring and interest are the same thing? I mean, I care about the issue but I'm not particularly interested in it. I haven't really heard anything new in years besides the whole changing it from global warming to climate change.

I would think caring would presuppose some sort of interest, but I suppose they could be separate of each other depending on your interpretation of each word.

But in that case, I think this article does presuppose that caring equals interest, at least on some level. And I'd say that that's the case in general too or at least the point of the article; people don't really care about climate change any more.

What actually annoys me most about this is that, because I think most of this is irreversible, we should be thinking about how to cope with said climate change. But that seems to be a topic that's nowhere to be seen on the public agenda. And ignoring that is even more dangerous in the long run.

 

[Dragonbums]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

 

[Dragonbums]

Im of the opinion that we need a mass extinction event anyway.

Well then you'll be happy to know we're living one.

I meant that humans needed a mass extinction event. But yeah, you got a point there.

Except that the only people who are going to by dying from it are those who are already suffering from climate change effects and don't have the means to leave. Meanwhile fatcats USA can continue to show fake sympathy for the deaths all the while watching a debate about whether this is actually a result of climate change.

 

[lacktheknack]

Hint: It's the same reason that no one takes Harold Camping seriously.

As a Christian, I DO believe that Jesus is going to come back and the world will end, and it's important that we be ready. This doesn't mean that I support Harold Camping doomsaying, and he's just making everyone look bad by being alarmist.

Does anyone, even most Christians, care about being watchful for the end times now? No, not really.

It's the same story with climate scientists and media outlets.

 

[lacktheknack]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

You're also being alarmist and spouting nonsense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise

I question how New York will, as a whole, be under a couple of feet of water in twenty years if the sea is only going to rise about two inches.

 

[Dragonbums]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

You're also being alarmist and spouting nonsense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise

I question how New York will, as a whole, be under a couple of feet of water in twenty years if the sea is only going to rise about two inches.

You claim me spouting nonsense and yet you are unaware of just how major it is for the sea to rise just 2 inches. 2 inches is enough to put whole areas under water. It's bad enough when it rises by milimeters.

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/314281317/for-n-j-mayor-the-time-to-adapt-to-rising-sea-levels-is-now

 

[templar1138a]

For a number of us, it's simply a matter of, "I know. But what the hell do you expect me to do about it?" Sure, I recycle, I don't waste power, but I'm not capable of making the decisions that need to be made, and those that are don't care.

 

[Fdzzaigl]

In my opinion, environmentalists (and I count myself as one of them) need to stop the alarmist attitude and bring a positive message, otherwise nothing is ever going to change before it's too late.

Instead of telling people that they're bad bad naughty kids who use too much energy and produce too much waste, we should come up with positive solutions that people WANT to adapt because they're good for them.

For example: supermarkets here stopped giving out thin plastic bags altogether, instead they gave everyone a sturdy, reusable and environmentally friendly bag. No one complained about missing their little thin plastic bags that were frequently thrown into nature that way.

Similarly, better insulation for housing, renovating old residences with durable techniques and investing into geothermal energy / solar panels on an individual basis can be very positive if it's supported.
The same with locally grown food and support for smaller (non-monoculture) agriculture businesses.

The message should be that we can stop this thing if we work together, it shouldn't be that the situation is hopeless. People tire of that, you see the same thing with media messages about wars worldwide (especially Syria currently).

 

[lacktheknack]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

You're also being alarmist and spouting nonsense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise

I question how New York will, as a whole, be under a couple of feet of water in twenty years if the sea is only going to rise about two inches.

You claim me spouting nonsense and yet you are unaware of just how major it is for the sea to rise just 2 inches. 2 inches is enough to put whole areas under water. It's bad enough when it rises by milimeters.

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/314281317/for-n-j-mayor-the-time-to-adapt-to-rising-sea-levels-is-now

This doesn't excuse you from LYING and saying that

we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades.

Tell the truth, say what you know, don't embellish.

 

[Zato-1]

In my opinion, environmentalists (and I count myself as one of them) need to stop the alarmist attitude and bring a positive message, otherwise nothing is ever going to change before it's too late.

Instead of telling people that they're bad bad naughty kids who use too much energy and produce too much waste, we should come up with positive solutions that people WANT to adapt because they're good for them.

For example: supermarkets here stopped giving out thin plastic bags altogether, instead they gave everyone a sturdy, reusable and environmentally friendly bag. No one complained about missing their little thin plastic bags that were frequently thrown into nature that way.

Similarly, better insulation for housing, renovating old residences with durable techniques and investing into geothermal energy / solar panels on an individual basis can be very positive if it's supported.
The same with locally grown food and support for smaller (non-monoculture) agriculture businesses.

The message should be that we can stop this thing if we work together, it shouldn't be that the situation is hopeless. People tire of that, you see the same thing with media messages about wars worldwide (especially Syria currently).

Aye. The problem is that even then, not all answers are easy ones- you mention geothermal and solar energy, but they're very expensive and the other clean, commercially viable energy source is pretty controversial- nuclear.

On the plus side, there's now a very interesting alternative to the old uranium reactors as far as nuclear energy is concerned:
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21600656-thorium-element-named-after-norse-god-thunder-may-soon-contribute

 

[Whispering Cynic]

It's simple: unless people live in areas which would be most affected by global warming (and see the rising sea levels themselves), they simply don't care. They are being told about the approaching doom all the time, that the sea level may rise a meter or two in a hundred years or whatever. But it's something they can't really see, can't really put into perspective (well most of them can't, or don't want to). And given the fact that they will likely be long dead when this issue becomes relevant for them, I can't blame them for not giving a damn.

And I'm still not convinced about the extent of human influence on the climate. I will be certain, in thirty to fifty years... for now the policy of IDGAF remains in effect.

 

[tangoprime]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

The problem here is, they've ALREADY been saying it'll happen in a few decades for a few decades, and I think people are starting to view it the same way that people regard religious doomsayers saying the apocalypse will happen in 1981, then 1992, then 1999, then 2000, then 2012, etc., etc. pushing the date.

Time Magazine, 1987
I did my best to try to find a Nat Geo Magazine article picture I remember seeing from the late 1980's that showed a flooded New York and predicted it would happen within 30 years, then post the 2013 cover showing the Statue of Liberty up to her waist in water due to the ice caps melting within the next few decades. Couldn't find the original, however.

 

[BoogieManFL]

Im of the opinion that we need a mass extinction event anyway.

Well then you'll be happy to know we're living one.

I meant that humans needed a mass extinction event.

To what end? And why?

People are saying the oddest things in this thread.

If nothing else, it will force the issue that we brought our own doom upon ourselves.

Assuming theres anyone left to care, that is.

It will also bring a much needed culling of the human population.

If there is I hope it's restricted to people with warped minds like you. Sorry your life has been such crap that you feel that is what needs to happen, but maybe it's people like you that are really what you despise.


Back to the thread, something a lot of people don't understand is that it means nothing that you don't notice the problem. You're small. Your perceptions are limited. The planet is huge and ancient, these effects take time to occur and permeate through such a vast area. 20 years. 50 years, 100 years.. These are seconds to the earth.

If they are right and we don't fix it fast enough, just think how the people int he future are going to look back at us like we're neanderthals that ruined everything with our ignorance.

 

[Dragonbums]

They keep predicting DOOM DOOM DOOM, but nothing is happening. The first warnings said the sea level would have risen by 1 meter by now, obviously nothing has happened.

People are starting to ignore the bullshit.

Only the stupid would be naive to think major climate change happens in 2 months.
We are spelling DOOM DOOM DOOM but at 30 years from now. Not that it matters whether the public cares or not because the great glaciers of the poles are already melting at an alarming irreversible rate and we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades. So keep ignoring the "bullshit" until it knocks on your front door.

You're also being alarmist and spouting nonsense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise

I question how New York will, as a whole, be under a couple of feet of water in twenty years if the sea is only going to rise about two inches.

You claim me spouting nonsense and yet you are unaware of just how major it is for the sea to rise just 2 inches. 2 inches is enough to put whole areas under water. It's bad enough when it rises by milimeters.

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/314281317/for-n-j-mayor-the-time-to-adapt-to-rising-sea-levels-is-now

This doesn't excuse you from LYING and saying that

we expect to see New York a good couple of feet under water in a couple of decades.

Tell the truth, say what you know, don't embellish.

Where is the lie? There was a recent report saying that the melting of the iceburgs is now inevitable. And they noted that in a couple of decades we could see a rise in the ocean by inches. Which is why I said- in a couple of decades (whether that be 30-90 years from now) New York (which is already at a pretty low sea level to begin with) will be seeing itself underwater.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/melting-of-west-antarctics-glaciers-pass-point-of-no-return/27340/


You tell me to say what I know, and you keep going on about things you don't know.