Last month, I spent a few hours cleaning and organizing my desk at school. The desk top was a mess of To Do lists, graded finals, and notes for next year while the desk drawers were a jumble of Sharpies, binder clips, stickers, and fun science things like UV Beads, Fortune Telling Fish, and Glowing "Germ" Lotion.
Among the mess, I found a small scrap of paper with a quote I had written down from an article about a 2013 Earth Day Rally at the Iowa State Capitol. The quote came from a Des Moines high school freshmen who seems to understand that we are all responsible for caring for this one planet we all share. "The climate is a matter of public trust. Did anyone bring their own atmosphere here today?" -Glori Dei Filippone |
I typed the quote onto a picture I had taken of an Iowa sunset (which is somewhat ironic if you understand the causes red/orange sunsets...) because the atmosphere is both a thing of beauty and a deadly engine for the spread of pollution and severe weather.
While the changes in climate around the world are scary, I am quite possibly more frightened by how scientific data is being stifled by personal beliefs and opinions. I have strong personal beliefs but I also believe in data and evidence. Unfortunately, personal beliefs are creating unsafe conditions such as unvaccinated children, earthquakes caused by fracking, increased severe weather due to changing climates, polluted air and water, processed and modified foods, and the depletion of natural resources. Science really can explain the causes and effects of these issues and all of the ways in which they are bad ideas. Scientific evidence really does matter.
For those who don't want to read all of the research, data, and evidence about controversial topics, I strongly recommend the website Daily Infographic because it summarizes data into visualizations. And, for those constantly being fooled by Internet hoaxes, please use Snopes to check for validity. Before spreading dangerous or foolish misconceptions, please become informed. I will never tell students what to believe but I will always base my teaching on current evidence.
Our atmosphere is essential for life on Earth and therefore we must care for it if we plan to continue our existence. I posted three of my favorite images/cartoons about this topic of evidence and climate change. Let's work together to make our world a better place for everyone...no matter their beliefs.
While the changes in climate around the world are scary, I am quite possibly more frightened by how scientific data is being stifled by personal beliefs and opinions. I have strong personal beliefs but I also believe in data and evidence. Unfortunately, personal beliefs are creating unsafe conditions such as unvaccinated children, earthquakes caused by fracking, increased severe weather due to changing climates, polluted air and water, processed and modified foods, and the depletion of natural resources. Science really can explain the causes and effects of these issues and all of the ways in which they are bad ideas. Scientific evidence really does matter.
For those who don't want to read all of the research, data, and evidence about controversial topics, I strongly recommend the website Daily Infographic because it summarizes data into visualizations. And, for those constantly being fooled by Internet hoaxes, please use Snopes to check for validity. Before spreading dangerous or foolish misconceptions, please become informed. I will never tell students what to believe but I will always base my teaching on current evidence.
Our atmosphere is essential for life on Earth and therefore we must care for it if we plan to continue our existence. I posted three of my favorite images/cartoons about this topic of evidence and climate change. Let's work together to make our world a better place for everyone...no matter their beliefs.