Climate change is real. Performing oddball annoying stunts isn't going to stop it.
A recent video circulating on the Internet shows a Nevada police officer breaking up a "climate protest" where people blocked a highway to protest carbon emissions (never mind the 300 idling cars that added to the problem!). The officer raced to the scene, drove through the protest and then started arresting protesters.
Good.
I noted before that I had the privilege of working with some researchers at NOAA, who are devising instruments to measure our climate worldwide - satellite sensors, local sensors - even tsunami sensors. They do this to collect raw data, not to "prove" a predetermined theory, but to provide raw data so that researchers can then create theories from this data, and then do further data collection to confirm or refute their theories.
Data drives the theories, not vice-versa. And the data clearly shows something is happening. The world is getting warmer, whether we want to admit it or not. And given the recent summer temperatures, do you not at least think this is possible?
The point is, whether you "believe" that billions of people haven't affected our environment one iota or not, blocking roadways is not a good way to convince people of a cause.
Well, it was the road to "Burning Man," so maybe it was a good idea after all. Just kidding.
It is akin to PETA petitioning the town of "Fishkill, NY" to change its name because who wants to kill the nice little fishies - or as PETA calls them, "sea kittens." The problem is, that whole "leatherstocking" region (which I just spent a few days in) has dozens of towns named " -kill" which is an old Dutch word meaning "stream or creek." It was a stupid stunt, among dozens of stupid stunts that PETA has done.
And the message they got across? Animal lovers are lunatics and Vegans are insane. That's what people think - how people think. PETA might as well be a PR firm for the meat industry. It is why so many people still support Trump - they are convinced that all Democrats are transgender "groomers" and some "trans activists" have done some stupid stunts which have re-affirmed the impression Trump voters already have - that Democrats are crazy.
Climate change is a serious thing, and not something that should be attached to frivolous and obnoxious protests. The "activists" convinced nobody of the correctness of their cause - in fact, I wonder whether they are, in fact, funded by the Koch brothers or Exxon-Mobil. Why not? They are doing the oil business a big favor by painting climate change as something only stupid and crazy people believe in.
So please, protesters - of all stripes - go home and stop "helping." You are not helping by making issues seem frivolous and their supporters stupid.
And everyone - outside of your drum circle - thinks you're stupid. Really Stupid!
