In a world based on common sense, climate change would not be a political issue. It is a moral issue and one humanity must deal with before it is too late to save us from the powerful wrath of a transformed Mother Nature. Of course, we live in a world filled with people that disagree with the facts of climate change (i.e. Republicans) and we must suffer as a result.
The wrath of these Earth-haters could be seen when the Weather Channel took a step in the right direction to show what the scientific community concludes about weather. So they hired Dr. Heidi Cullen to do a weekly half-hour show on climate science. When word got out that she was going from academia to being in front of a television audience (as well as a web-based one) things turned ugly.
From The New York Times:
Last December, I wrote a blog about how reticent some broadcast meteorologists are about reporting on climate change. Meteorologists — they are the forecasters — have training in atmospheric science. Many are certified by the American Meteorological Society. I suggested there’s a disconnect when they use their A.M.S. seal for on-camera credibility and refuse to give viewers accurate information on climate. The society has a very clear statement saying that global warming is largely due to the burning of fossil fuels.
The next thing I knew, I was being denounced on the Web sites of Senator James Inhofe, Matt Drudge and Rush Limbaugh. The Weather Channel’s own Web site got about 4,000 e-mails in one day, mostly angry. Some went, ‘Listen here, weather girl, just give me my five-day forecast and shut up.’
Q: Rush Limbaugh accused you of Stalinism. Did you suggest that meteorologists who doubt global warming should be fired?
A: I didn’t exactly say that. I was talking about the American Meteorological Society’s seal of approval. I was saying the A.M.S. should test applicants on climate change as part of their certification process. They test on other aspects of weather science.
A lot of viewers want to know about climate change. They are experiencing events they perceive as unusual and they want to know if there’s a connection to global warming. Certainly when Katrina hit, they wanted to know if it was global warming or not. Most Americans get their daily dose of science through their televised weather report. Given that fact, I think it’s the responsibility of broadcast meteorologists to provide viewers with scientific answers.
Viewers who tune in to the weather channel only get the daily temperature and precipitation forecast. People don't get the full picture. People like Heidi Cullen will help make a difference.
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