Amazing Planet
“One of the most frustrating parts of my profession is trying to explain basic scientific knowledge and evidence to students and community members who refuse to objectively analyze evidence in lieu of tightly held beliefs.”
My original thought on writing this letter was to address it to my son Luka as he is my most immediate connection to the future. Addressing people farther removed in time is a bit more ethereal but I think my thoughts translate to both the immediate and future generations.
As we hurtle toward the next convergence on global climate discourse in Paris, I vacillate between notions of impending doom and great hope for the future. My pessimistic side sees nothing but a life filled with severe droughts, bigger storms, climate refugees, altered ecosystems, etc. for my future relatives and their brethren. I have a hard time imagining a robust consensus on a viable path forward coming from the Paris talks. Our global cultural, economic, and spatial divides just seem too great. That said, working on a daily basis with bright young students that genuinely care about the world they inhabit and the world they will pass to future generations gives me great pause and hope when imagining the planet my ancestors will inhabit.
One of the most frustrating parts of my profession is trying to explain basic scientific knowledge and evidence to students and community members who refuse to objectively analyze evidence in lieu of tightly held beliefs. I am hopeful that projects of this nature, the Paris negotiations, continued media coverage, more education, and, sadly, undeniable environmental evidence of climate change will culminate in the global populace demanding that our leaders take real and effective action. If by the reading of this letter that is not the case, let me try one LAST time - The climate IS changing and there WILL continue to be negative repercussions unless action is taken! In the end, my greatest hope is that the generations subsequent of mine will have the skills and desire to retard or even reverse some of the damage we have wrought so they can know the joys of living a full life on this amazing planet.
