Survey: Climate Change Now More Divisive Than Abortion, Gun Control & Death Penalty
It's become obvious that opinions regarding humans' impact on the climate often differ depending on one's political party. While some conservatives have openly decided to leave climate denial behind, the gap between Republicans and Democrats on this issue is huge—larger than some of the most historically divisive debates.
New research from Lawrence Hamilton of the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire shows that there is a larger gap between liberals and conservatives on climate change than abortion, gun control, the death penalty and evolution.
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"I didn't realize it would be at the level of division that it was," Hamilton told Mother Jones.
While the polled Democrats and Republicans both largely say they trust scientists as a source of environmental information—83 and 63 percent, respectively—just 48 percent of Republicans say they believe humans are contributing to climate change. The percentage among polled Democrats remained the same on both questions.
Just 28 percent of Tea Party members said they trust scientists on the environment, and even fewer—23 percent—say humans are contributing to global warming.
Hamilton didn't venture far from his university to conduct the poll. It included nearly 600 New Hampshire residents. While he concedes that conservatives elsewhere might have different opinions, he would't expect a large contrast if his team had polled people in the other 49 states.
"In general, New Hampshire is not drastically unrepresentative," he said. "[I] would expect similar gaps to show up [around the nation]."
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Neil deGrasse Tyson Fans Deserve More Than Twisted Tale on GMOs
By Stacy Malkan
Neil deGrasse Tyson has inspired millions of people to care about science and imagine themselves as participants in the scientific process. What a hopeful sign it is to see young girls wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the words, "Forget princess, I want to be an astrophysicist."
Massive Antarctic Ice Shelf Days From Breaking Off
By Andy Rowell
Any day now we will truly witness climate change in action. Within days at worst, maybe weeks at best, scientists predict that a huge section of the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica will break off into the ocean, in what is called a major "carving" event.
Whatever Trump Is Selling, His People Are Buying Including a Solar Border Wall
President Trump visited Cedar Rapids, Iowa on June 21 to speak to a large crowd in the U.S. Cellular Center at a political rally organized by his campaign.
As Trevor Noah noted during The Daily Show episode last night (starts at 2:25), the real reason Trump has these rallies is to "get back in front of his loyal crowds and feed of their energy." Noah believes that "Trump supporters are so on board with their dude he can say anything and they'll come along for the ride."
World's Biggest Coal Company Closes 37 Mines as Solar Prices Plummet
The rapid growth in renewable energy continues to put a dent in the demand for coal.
Coal India, the world's biggest coal mining company and producer of 82 percent of the country's coal, announced the closure of 37 mines that are financially "unviable."
The Rise and Fall of Coal in America
By Katie O'Reilly
Two years ago—long before coal became one of the most dominant and controversial symbols of the 2016 presidential election—Bloomberg Philanthropies approached production company RadicalMedia with the idea of creating a documentary exploring the U.S. coal mining industry. Last spring, they brought on Emmy-nominated director Michael Bonfiglio, tasked with forging a compelling story out of the multitudes of facts, statistics and narratives underlying the declining industry.
118 U.S. Mayors Endorse 100% Renewable Energy Goals
The Sierra Club released a new analysis Friday that found that transitioning all 1,400+ U.S. Conference of Mayors member-cities to 100 percent clean and renewable electricity will significantly reduce electric sector carbon pollution nationwide and help the U.S. towards meeting the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
Yellowstone Grizzlies Lose Federal Protection
Thanks to Newsy for their coverage on Thursday's news that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone region from the Endangered Species List.
Watch above as Newsy explains that the decision comes despite serious concerns from the environmental and scientific community, and Tribal Nations about a declining, isolated grizzly bear population with diminishing food resources and record-high mortalities.
Seismic Blasting Devastates Ocean's Most Vital Organisms
By Francine Kershaw
Seismic airguns exploding in the ocean in search for oil and gas have devastating impacts on zooplankton, which are critical food sources for marine mammals, according to a new study in Nature. The blasting decimates one of the ocean's most vital groups of organisms over huge areas and may disrupt entire ecosystems.
And this devastating news comes on the heels of the National Marine Fisheries Service's proposal to authorize more than 90,000 miles of active seismic blasting. Based on the results of this study, the affected area would be approximately 135,000 square miles.
So, Is Coconut Oil Healthy or Not?
By Jill Richardson
Is coconut oil:
- good for you
- bad for you
- neither good nor bad
- scientists don't know
The subject of this question is the source of a disagreement. Initially, the question was thought to be settled decades ago, when scientist Ancel Keys declared all saturated fats unhealthy. Coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, is a saturated fat.
