Media should provide more stories on climate solutions

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 28, 2023

I am writing to express my appreciation for the recent depth of coverage that climate issues have been given in the media. I especially appreciate that many in the media are connecting record temperatures, Canadian wildfires, melting Arctic ice, water temperatures in Florida, and heat-related deaths to human-caused climate change. This is making it more difficult for climate change deniers to continue their ignorance.

While the many media stories serve to inform, they also create a great deal of anxiety in some people and a sense of hopelessness in others. The reality is that we already possess the solutions to the climate crisis. It won’t be easy and will require a massive effort between government, business, and the citizenry. However, it is possible to solve this problem if we work hard and work together.

It would be enormously helpful (and emotionally healthier) if media outlets such as The Herald began to highlight the solutions and challenges. For example, you might report on the efforts of Project Drawdown, the carbon sequestration efforts at UCLA, or the MIT research that documents the power of a carbon fee on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to highlighting the solutions, I would encourage you to encourage people to join climate-focused organizations like Citizen’s Climate Lobby, Nature Conservancy, 350.org, or the Union of Concerned Scientists. These organizations and many others are working to build a movement to solve the climate crisis, and they need your/our help.

Mark Rohde

Snohomish