Monthly Archives : April 2012

Inside the Climate Skeptic Hive Mind

And you thought some of the rabid in the climate concerned community had it in for Roger Pielke, Jr. Check out the threat Roger apparently poses to climate skeptics over in this Bishop Hill thread. Fortunately, there is a voice of sanity among the rabble. Ben Pile at first tries to reason with the fire-breathers, who…Continue Reading…

Why Environmentalism is Irrelevant

I recently wrote that environmentalism was fading fast as a meaningful movement, and argued that only green modernists could resurrect it. The piece got bounced around a lot on twitter and elicited both praise and barbs. Discover magazine asked if I would do my promised follow-up for them. Here’s a teaser from the opening: If…Continue Reading…

Climate Science Rift on Severe Weather Attribution

As some might recall, the climate science community split into several camps in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I think similar fault lines are emerging in the global warming/severe weather debate. In my latest post at the Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media, I discuss this in the context of a popular new frame,…Continue Reading…

The James Lovelock Bashers

It’s a testament to James Lovelock’s standing in the science world that one phone conversation can trigger a media tidal wave. In case you’re just tuning in to the news, Lovelock has rejected his own prophecy on global warming, which he previously believed would soon kill off most of humanity and “leave the few survivors living a…Continue Reading…

Connect the Apocalypse

One of the main points I was making in this recent post is that the shelf life of green catastrophism has expired. But environmentalists don’t want to hear this. Many have responded indignantly to the contrast I set up between what I call green traditionalists and green modernists. In the coming week, I’ll respond in…Continue Reading…

Grist: Autism Linked to Corn Syrup

When it comes to climate change, Grist (like many green advocacy outlets), is quick to pounce on media stories it deems substandard. A recent example is this slapdown from Grist’s executive editor, titled: How Huffington Post aided a demolition job on climate science Well, it turns out that Grist has a wrecking ball of its own,…Continue Reading…

Rejection of Science Not Unique to Climate Change

That’s the title of my latest post at the Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media. Specifically, I discuss the controversy over genetically modified (GM) crops, and why there is no scientific basis for being opposed to them–especially if you care about the issue of food security in a warming world.

The Green Modernist Vision

There is a battle underway for the soul of environmentalism. It is a battle between traditionalists and modernists. Who prevails is likely to be determined by whose vision for the future is chosen by a new generation of environmentalists. The green traditionalist has never had a sunny outlook. Forty years ago, he warned about a…Continue Reading…

Pay No Mind to These Harassed Scientists

Did you know that a group of scientists whose work has stirred public controversy are under siege? That their findings are vehemently contested? That they are harassed by zealots and that some have endured death threats? No, not climate scientists or animal researchers. I’m talking about plant scientists working on genetically modified crops. The latest attack against them occurred this…Continue Reading…

Climate Change Joins the Culture Wars

Every so often something I write shakes up the climate skeptic hive. They also start buzzing like mad, I have noticed, when you explain to them that their honeypot (the climate science cabal) is not really what excites them. Oh well, so much for transparency. In my latest post at the Yale Forum on Climate…Continue Reading…