2013 saw a significant uptick in the amount of mainstream news coverage of climate change – normally in connection with pollution and other environmental issues. Here’s a CBS news clip in which Charlie Rose covers the air in Beijing, recently measured to be 20 times dirtier than “safe” levels. According to the report, China consumes almost half the world’s coal. Officials closed freeways due to inadequate visibility. Another 15 years of unchanging behavior could put the world to a point where we would be unable to correct climate issues, even if we wanted to.
While an increase in awareness of the issue is most certainly a good thing, I have to say that I’m always amazed when mainstream news shows do this and then go on to say something like, “And now let’s go to Jerry Martucci in sports….Jerry, what’s the status of the Denver quarterback’s pulled hamstring?”
The bad news is that we’re baking and choking the planet; the good news is that it’s not happening in time to cause a problem for football fans.
