Have you noticed those insidious articles in the media lately? Do you feel a little shaken by all the things you’re hearing about how climate change isn’t real and we’ve all been conned? Well, so begins the green backlash.
In the UK media the messages denying climate change and discussion of issues around it have been wide and varied. They have ranged (in my opinion) from quite petty criticisms to dangerous accusations. For example one breakfast television programme recently held a feature about low energy light bulbs, with one guest informing the presenters that he wouldn’t use them because they are no good for dimmer switches! – I personally cannot muster up enough enthusiasm to care about dimmer switches. I mean, is not being able to have designer lighting REALLY a problem in the grand scheme of things? Another one is that organic veggies are more harmful to your health than non-organic ones because of bacterial cross-contamination. As far as I can tell, this hasn’t been proved one way or the other but just Google the subject and you’ll find lots about it.
On the other end of the scale there have been some more serious arguments against climate change. The ‘Great Global Warming Swindle‘ was a programme shown on the UK’s channel 4 a couple of weeks ago. The experts in this documentary claimed (amongst other things) that there was no link between human created carbon dioxide and global warming. Now, I am far from an environmental scientist but I just didn’t feel convinced by the arguments and it turns out that I’m not the only one. The websites ‘Real Climate‘, ‘The Campaign Against Climate Change‘ and ‘Climate Change Denial‘ go into great and complex detail contradicting many points made in this documentary. Plus comments made on these sites manage to pick further holes in the arguments.
There have even been comments that the policies being implemented to reduce CO2 emissions are harmful to already vulnerable people in developing countries. Not only this but the claim then goes on to say that those raising awareness about climate change have an interest in keeping these countries poor. Now that’s a heavy accusation!
These are just a few examples of the green backlash that we seem to be witnessing and I’m sure there are many more. Even Al Gore is facing a huge amount of criticism after releasing his film ‘An Inconvenient Truth‘ with his right wing opponents saying he’s scare-mongering to make money and gain publicity for when he runs for presidency and so on and so on.
My point here is, unless you dedicate your life to studying the issues its difficult to know first hand what is true. For this reason we have to trust whoever we think is genuine. Keep your eyes, ears and mind open and be aware that people will always make opportunities for themselves in any given situation. It would be interesting to trace back where these anti-climate change claims come from and find out who would benefit if we believed them. I’m sure we all have our own theories on that one.
All of the anti-climate change talk and criticisms of those trying to live a sustainable life haven’t changed my views one bit. I will still take heed of what the experts tell us about how we can reduce our harmful impact on the planet and try to learn as much as I can. Aside from anything else, adjusting the way you live to lower your energy use and carbon dioxide emissions makes you look at things differently and consider how your every day actions have a knock-on effect on others. For me that can only be a good thing.
I’ve only commented on what has been said about climate change in the UK press but I’d be interested to hear what is being broadcast and published in other countries.
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March 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
If you want to feel really down, read any environment article on the Scotsman website, and then read the comments. The people that leave comments HATE the green movement.
But I haven’t changed my views either.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Great topic Vicky. I actually heard a story about environmental journalism on the radio the other day. One conclusion the show came too was that in trying to achieve balance in their reporting journalists often try to get a naysayer and a yeahsayer – in other words they go for the extremes. With this approach journalists might be doing the public a disservice as there is a whole middle ground that often gets missed.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Hi Vicky,
I completely agree – we were just talking the other day at work about a green backlash. Inevitable really – the media has been hyping green issues for quite some time now, to be honest, I’ve been waiting for the bubble to burst. It’s about making news and being controversial – doesn’t mean anything has actually changed but will make it more difficult to campaign for us all to live with more care and consideration for the world we live in and the people we live with – which is what it comes down to in the end.
On ‘The Great Global Warming Swindle’, The Independent does a great job of taking this programme apart piece by piece. It’s amazing what people will do to get facts and figures to serve their own ends!
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/climate_change/article2355956.ece
Chin up!
Katie
March 26th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
With “experts ” contradicting each other, how can those of us who are scientifically clueless ( the majority) have any faith in “science” ?
The scientific credentials on both sides are impressive and claim and counterclaims on secret agendas, political motives and payola have watered down passion on the subject.
Tragically this inertia will lead to our destruction if the worst case scenario is in fact, true.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Thanks for that Katie. Yes, Jez and I had been saying for the last couple of months that because there has been so much positive information and support for the green movement that the backlash was just a matter of time.
I think its important to be aware and prepared for it.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Hi there,
I think, as someone in the science community, people are just resenting the hype. Because there is a confluence of pop culture and science these days, there is a lot of confusion about what is activism, what is politics and what is data.
All people know the environment is important but they want straight answers. In the US there is a backlash against Al Gore – not because he doesn’t mean well but because he exaggerated some facts in his book by 2000%. It’s one thing to have passion and urgency and another to want to motivate people so much you lie about the dangers.
Nice article!
~H
March 30th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
i know what you mean. and in the light of people looking for excuses to hate all things eco i have been afraid to query something i read that shocked me…
i love eco bulbs. friends have hated me in the past for giving them as gifts. when i was at college in 1990 i went without much food (and no art materials) for a month so i could afford an eco bulb (priced £25, they came with an adaptor so you could fit it, how things have changed).
so i’m loath to hear complaints about them. but last week, i think it was on treehugger or at inhabitat, i read that they deplete vitamin D! i was horrified. I’ve been using them for 17 years and my family has a history of osteoporosis (and i’m allergic to dairy) so i’m pretty freaked by this. but i’m scared to say anything lest people use it to justify their green backlash.
then again, if they are really phasing out bad bulbs and people go eco and not LED etc then what will this mean for kids whose bones are still forming? if i had a kid i wouldn’t want them to be damaged by them.
i’ve no idea what the stats are, have you? i can see it now, an RDA on light bulb packets, 7watts a day for no more than 3 hours.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
You can’t go around screaming “the sky is falling” for very long before people tire of it and just ignore you. Blame a lot on Al Gore for over-hyping the subject, and all the pompus Hollywood types who fly around the world in their private jets telling us little people how WE must change our lifestyles…