Society Archives

Vaclav Smil: Climate Change Must Be Addressed Realistically

How well do people understand the way the world works? How does this impact our assessment of climate change and its solutions? According to scientist Vaclav Smil, climate change can be slowed, but only gradually and at great expense. In How the World Really Works, he argues that this is because our current way of life relies so heavily on fossil fuels. Keep reading to understand the climate situation in the context of how the world really works.

Is There a Climate Crisis? A Rational Look at Climate Alarmism

Is there a climate crisis? Is climate alarmism called for? Who and what is to be believed? Even though it’s becoming more widely accepted that climate change is real, questions remain. We’re struggling to find answers, much less consensus, on what steps we should take, whether they’ll be enough, and how drastic the environmental situation really is. Keep reading for an assessment of the climate situation from award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger.

How the Energy Industry Impacts the Environment

How does mining for oil and gas affect the environment? Does fracking natural gas really cause earthquakes? According to her book Blowout, Rachel Maddow contends that there are many more negative effects of mining for energy sources than people think. Some of the impacts include poisoned soil, sick livestock and humans, increased global warming, and more. Continue reading to learn how mining for energy impacts the environment.

3 Reasons Why We’re Addicted to Reactive Problem-Solving

Are you more likely to reach for an ambiguous solution or a clear one? How does a problem’s urgency affect your approach to solving it? Dan Heath argues that people should always strive for upstream solutions because they tend to have longer-lasting benefits and provide opportunities to reduce human suffering. But, we typically gravitate toward reactive problem-solving instead. Keep reading to learn three reasons why we’re biased in this direction.

How the Anti-Nuclear Movement Hijacked the Narrative

How connected are nuclear energy and nuclear weapons? Does nuclear power imply nuclear fallout? Award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger says that nuclear power is the best way to meet rising energy demands. However, it’s hard to convince people of that because anti-nuclear propaganda has drastically clouded public opinion on the topic. Read more to learn how and why the anti-nuclear movement hijacked the narrative.

Dan Heath’s Upstream: Book Overview & Key Takeaways

Do you feel like you have endless fires to put out—in your personal life, at work, and in society as a whole? What if you could work at the root of the problem instead, preventing crises from happening altogether? In his book Upstream, Dan Heath explains how reactive solutions (for which we have a bias) aren’t nearly as effective as proactive, long-term solutions. He calls these upstream solutions, and he provides advice on how to implement this type of problem-solving. Keep reading for an overview of this book that aims to help you solve problems before they happen.

How Serious Are the Problems Caused by Deforestation?

Why are forests disappearing? What’s the impact of deforestation? How much good does reforestation do? Michael Shellenberger contends that the core of existential environmental dread revolves around the idea that humans are actively killing the planet. In order to remove a certain level of panic from the environmental discussion, he addresses the issues and misperceptions around the loss of rainforests. Keep reading to learn about the actual extent of the problems caused by deforestation and the outlook of reforestation.

Environmental Colonialism: The Human Cost of Climate Activism

Are we harming people in our efforts to save the planet? What’s environmental colonialism? What’s its impact on both humans and the environment? Award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger says that climate alarmists create an atmosphere of existential dread that leads to all sorts of overreactions. Some of these measures—which basically amount to environmental colonialism—do more harm than good. Keep reading for Shellenberger’s attempt to bring some level-headedness into the midst of panic.

Linking Industrialization and Climate Change: Cause or Cure?

Should we slow the global efforts of industrialization or accelerate them? Which is better for the planet, including humans? Climate alarmists would have us believe that industrialization is to blame for the planet’s impending doom. Michael Shellenberger urges us to look at the connection between industrialization and climate change from a curative perspective rather than a causal one. Keep reading to see why Shellenberger believes that the solution to our climate problems relies on the industrialization of developing countries.

The Evolution of Communication Throughout Time

Is language biological or learned? What factors crucially impacted the evolution of communication? Language connects people all around the world. Without it, humans wouldn’t get far in life because they wouldn’t be able to communicate with each other. Yet, we’ve managed to go from using language purely as a survival tool to forming relationships with online friends. Let’s dive into the evolution of communication to see how far we’ve come.