Some of the writers I follow have noticed a resurgence in climate denialism. You may well ask: how can climate denial resurge? It never went away! But I think these writers are onto something: In the last year or two, the IPCC has been able to give a much clearer and more decisive picture of how humans are impacting the global climate and what we need to do about it. But a lot of moneyed and powerful corporations are invested in continuing business as usual–growing it, even, because you gotta please the shareholders–so it makes sense that we’re seeing a lot of well-placed public denialism.
Scientist Kimberly Nichols spells out a few key strategies from the climate denial handbook. (This newsletter also examines phenological asynchrony; hence the title.
When life + climate are out of tune (We Can Fix It, December 1, 2022)
This incredible explainer by Emily Atkin includes a memorable name for climate disinformation (hot garbage!), how to identify it, and what to do about it.
A beginner’s guide to hot garbage (HEATED, December 7, 2022)
A case study in how money impacts messaging….
In the Southeast, power company money flows to news sites that attack their critics (NPR, December 19, 2022)
People I don’t even want to talk about…
….except that they have snagged outsized platforms to be problematic in public.
Bret Stephens’ Bad Faith Climate Conversion (Gizmodo, October 28, 2022)
A New York Times columnist went to Greenland and discovered fossil fuel talking points (HEATED, November 3, 2022)
…with a shout-out to this evergreen analysis: The wheel of first-time climate dudes (HEATED, April 23, 2020)
“Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter on October 27, climate change disinformation has flourished on the site.” Climate deniers gain traction on Elon Musk’s Twitter (Media Matters, December 8, 2022)
The climate case against Elon Musk (HEATED, November 18, 2022)
If You Want to Save the World, Choose Your Targets Wisely (Pajiba, November 15, 2022)
I would rather talk about…
10 Environmental Justice Wins in 2022 to Celebrate (Atmos, December 5, 2022)
This Year, We Met People Rekindling Climate Hope With Perseverance and Innovation (Atlas Obscura, December 20, 2022)
Countries Reach Sweeping Deal to Protect Nature (Gizmodo, December 20, 2022)
Trash
Environmental groups see a Trojan Horse in big plastic’s plan to scale recycling efforts: ‘Nobody needs more plastic’ (Fortune, October 21, 2022)
The myth of ‘home-compostable’ plastics (Grist, November 7, 2022)
Amazon’s Plastic Waste Soared in 2021, Report Finds (Gizmodo, December 16, 2022)
Climate feels
7 Stages of Grief for the Anthropocene (Orion Magazine, February 25, 2020)
Lessons on Resistance From a Child of the First Climate-Change Generation (The Nation, December 15, 2022)
Climate and culture
The climate films shaping society (BBC, October 21, 2022)
Disclaimer that I have not kept up with A Handmaid’s Tale past season 2, although I know the story has departed from the source material and has had the opportunity to make its own arguments–and its own mistakes. This newsletter looks mainly at the way it captures one possible outcome of ecofascism. The Darkest Form of Environmentalism (The Science of Fiction, December 9, 2022)
Report: Big Game Companies Like Square Enix And Roblox Are Ignoring Climate Change (Kotaku, November 22, 2022)
A Cookbook for Surviving the End of the World (Atlas Obscura, October 26, 2022)
In Memory of @BPDeezNutzz, the Best Greentrolling Account to Ever Grace Twitter (Gizmodo, November 22, 2022)
Nathalie Miebach Weaves Data and Anecdotes into Expansive Sculptures to Raise Awareness of the Climate Crisis (Colossal, November 11, 2022)
Happy new year, climate nerds. Let’s resolve to create more art and less trash.
Sara Davis 