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A Message for Children About Climate Change
Scottadamssays.com ^ | 9-23-2019 | Scott Adams

Posted on 09/26/2019 3:14:47 AM PDT by servo1969

Dear Children,

I’m sorry adults have frightened you about climate change and how it might affect your future. You might be less afraid if you knew some facts that adults intentionally do not explain to you. I’ll tell you here.

The news was once a source of real information, or so we thought. But in the modern world, the news people discovered they can make more money by presenting scary news regardless of whether it is true or not. Today, much of the news on the right and the left is opinion that is meant to scare you, not inform you, because scary things get more attention, and that makes the news business more profitable. The same is true for people who write books; authors often make books scary so you will buy them. Most adults know all the scariness is not real. Most kids do not. You just learned it.

Nuclear energy used to be dangerous, back in the olden days. Today’s nuclear power plants (the ones built in the past 20 years all over the world) have killed zero people, and are considered the safest form of energy in the world. More people have died installing solar panels and falling off roofs than have died from nuclear power problems anywhere in the world for the past few decades. And nuclear energy is the obvious way to address climate change, say most of the smartest adults in the world, because it can provide abundant, cheap, clean energy with zero carbon emissions.

Nuclear energy as a solution to climate change is one of the rare solutions backed by several Democrats running for president and nearly all Republicans. Please note that two Democrats in favor of nuclear energy (Corey Booker and Andrew Yang) are among the youngest and smartest in the game. To be fair, the oldest Democrat running for president, Joe Biden, also supports nuclear energy because he is well-informed.

If you are worried about nuclear waste, you probably should not be. Every country with nuclear energy (and there are lots of them) successfully stores their nuclear waste. If you put all the nuclear waste in the world in one place, it would fit on one football field. It isn’t a big problem. And new nuclear power designs will actually eat that nuclear waste and turn it into electricity, so the total amount of waste could come way down.

The United Nations estimates that the economic impact of climate change will reduce the economy by 10% in eighty years. What they don’t tell you is that the economy will be about five times bigger and better by then, so you won’t even notice the 10% that didn’t happen. And that worst case is only if we do nothing to address climate change, which is not the case.

A number of companies have recently built machines that can suck CO2 right out of the air. At the moment, using those machines would be too expensive. But as they come down in cost and improve in efficiency, we have a solution already in hand should it ever be needed. It would be expensive, but there is no real risk of CO2 ruining the world now that we know how to remove any excess from the atmosphere. (Plants need CO2 to thrive, so we don’t want to remove too much. Greenhouses actually pump in CO2 to make plants grow better.)

Scientists tell us that we could reduce climate risks by planting more trees. (A lot more.) That’s all doable, should the world decide it is necessary. There are a number of other companies and technologies that also address climate change in a variety of ways. Any one of the approaches I mentioned (nuclear energy, CO2 scrubbers, planting trees) could be enough to address any climate risks, but there are dozens of ways of dealing with climate change, and more coming every day.

Throughout all modern history, when we humans see a problem coming from far away, we have a 100% success rate in solving it. Climate change is no different. All the right people are working hard at a wide variety of solutions and already know how to get there, meaning more nuclear power plus CO2 scrubbers, plus lots of green power from solar, wind, and more.

If you are worried about rising sea levels, don’t be. The smartest and richest people in the world are still buying property on the beach. They don’t see the problem. And if sea levels do rise, it will happen slowly enough for people to adjust.

Adults sometimes like to use children to carry their messages because it makes it hard for the other side to criticize them without seeming like monsters. If adults have encouraged you to panic about climate change without telling you what I am telling you here, they do not have your best interests at heart. They are using you.

When you ask adults about nuclear energy, expect them to have old understanding about it, meaning they don’t know the newer nuclear energy technologies are the safest energy on the planet.

What I told you today is not always understood even by adults. You are now smarter than most adults on the topic of climate.

My generation has a lot of faith in your generation. You will be the most educated and effective humans of all time. My generation (and a few generations younger than me) already has the fixes to address climate risks coming online. Your generation will finish the job.

We adults respect your passion and your energy on the topic of climate. But it isn’t fair for us to deny you the basic facts while at the same time scaring you into action. I hope this letter helps you sleep better. We adults have this problem under control, or will soon, and you’ll help us finish the job. So get some good sleep tonight. Together, we got this.

Scott Adams


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: adams; climate; dilbert; scott; scottadams
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To: Chode

She’ll make a great mother someday!


21 posted on 09/26/2019 5:14:37 AM PDT by Theophilus (Ich bin ein Hong Konger)
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To: servo1969
Norah Jones - Seven Years

Spinning, laughing, dancing to
Her favorite song
A little girl with nothing wrong
Is all alone
Eyes wide open
Always hoping for the sun
And she'll sing her song to anyone
That comes along
Fragile as a leaf in autumn
Just fallin' to the ground
Without a sound
Crooked little smile on her face
Tells a tale of grace
That's all her own
Fragile as a leaf in autumn
Just fallin' to the ground
Without a sound
Spinning, laughing, dancing to her
Favorite song
Well, she's a little girl with nothing wrong
And she's all alone
A little girl with nothing wrong
And she's all alone

22 posted on 09/26/2019 5:31:33 AM PDT by Theophilus (Ich bin ein Hong Konger)
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To: GulfMan
Nasty little b*tch isn't she? Her angry, arrogant, defiant rhetoric will not garner her anything but bad publicity.

Who in their right mind would change their mind about climate change based on what this twit demands? No one.

She's the David Hogg of the climate change cult.

23 posted on 09/26/2019 5:32:15 AM PDT by HotHunt (Been there. Done that.)
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To: airborne

+1


24 posted on 09/26/2019 6:04:42 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Elitist Liberals have no idea the hunger and strength of the beast they have uncaged.)
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To: servo1969

Some people are saying Scott should tell children about how it’s a hoax and it’s not real.

True.

But I think Scott’s intent is to use persuasion. The study of persuasion is one of his major hobbies.

I think he would say something like, “Children and young adults have already been convinced by people they love and trust that AGW is real and they are in serious danger. What chance do I have to show up and convince them that it’s all nonsense and to forget about it? What chance do I have to completely change their minds in one go? Pretty much zero, wouldn’t you say?

But here’s something I can do. I can try to persuade them that things are going to be okay. That’s their immediate need. The details will take time. But right now they’re too scared to be convinced of a new perspective. They need to feel safe first.”

I think that’s his intent here. To calm, not re-educate.


25 posted on 09/26/2019 6:09:58 AM PDT by servo1969
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To: servo1969

Dear Children, I’m sorry adults have frightened you about climate change and how it might affect your future.
**********
Way too broad. We should not be telling children that “adults” are the problem. The problem is public school teachers, news media, and politicians financed by leftist billionaires.


26 posted on 09/26/2019 6:27:33 AM PDT by Socon-Econ (adical Islam,)
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To: central_va

People who say they believe in man-made climate change are idiots, liars, or both.


27 posted on 09/26/2019 6:42:44 AM PDT by abclily
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To: HartleyMBaldwin; one guy in new jersey; Tax-chick
"“Teach Your Children” is a song by Graham Nash. Although it was written when Nash was a member of the Hollies, it was never recorded by that group in studio (a live recording does exist), and first appeared on the album Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released in 1970."

More fun facts:

CSN&Y sent the background track, no vocals, to Jerry Garcia, and told him to just jam to the tune on pedal steel guitar.

After they got it back they laid down the vocals and mixed.

28 posted on 09/26/2019 7:05:30 AM PDT by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: MV=PY

That is interesting, thanks.


29 posted on 09/26/2019 7:39:41 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("The potential for miscalculation and chaos is substantial." ~ Kevin Williamson)
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To: servo1969

“If you are worried about nuclear waste, you probably should not be. Every country with nuclear energy (and there are lots of them) successfully stores their nuclear waste. If you put all the nuclear waste in the world in one place, it would fit on one football field. It isn’t a big problem. And new nuclear power designs will actually eat that nuclear waste and turn it into electricity, so the total amount of waste could come way down.”

There are a couple of big issues with replacing our current oil-based energy supplies with nuclear:

One, there must be a closed fuel cycle. Describing nuclear waste being small enough to fit into a football field ignores that a mistake or an intentional disaster (terrorism or act of war) on the level of Chernobyl or Fukushima could pollute massive amounts of our water supply or even poison us with airborne radioactive material. Admittedly, there are reasonable strategies in place for addressing this, but the risks should not be minimized. Adams is operating under the assumption that all those nations who will have access to nuclear energy will behave rationally. Because closing the loop costs money, we must have additional strategies in place to insure compliance by all nations with access to this technology. Falsifying proper disposal could line the pockets of unscrupulous actors, but this must be avoided.

Second, the cycle ordinarily results in fissile material suitable for making nuclear weapons. There must be a way to insure that rogue states do not get access to these materials. Again, Adams is operating under the assumption that the nations who will have access to nuclear energy will behave rationally.

I am unconvinced there is even a problem with the climate that humans can or should address, but even so this article is overall a pretty good piece.


30 posted on 09/26/2019 7:44:27 AM PDT by unlearner (War is coming.)
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To: servo1969

“Today, much of the news on the right and the left is opinion that is meant to scare you, not inform you”

Excuse me? Where is the news on the right? And most importantly, where is the fake news on the right?

When, out of a misplaced desire to be fair, a person equates good with evil, he does mankind a disservice.

And that is exactly what is going on. Today’s trials and tribulations are the work of the forces of evil in the current iteration of the eternal war between good and evil.

Do not doubt that the left in all its manifestations are among the forces of evil. And do not think there is any road to peace that does not require their defeat.


31 posted on 09/26/2019 8:17:17 AM PDT by dsc (Our system of government cannot survive one-party control of communications.)
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To: servo1969
Kids, no matter how smart you are, you have not lived long enough to know everything yet.
Even though what little you have learned sounds self-evident, it does not mean it is. It could be completely wrong and still sound perfectly plausible.
I hope you will live long enough to learn this one day.

32 posted on 09/26/2019 8:35:22 AM PDT by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: one guy in new jersey

‘The one they picks’

???


33 posted on 09/26/2019 9:45:51 AM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: HotHunt

‘Her angry, arrogant, defiant rhetoric will not garner her anything but bad publicity.’

yeah, like the so called Alternate Nobel Prize, worth about 100k to the winners...that kind of bad publicity I’ll take any day...


34 posted on 09/26/2019 9:54:25 AM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: servo1969

bfl


35 posted on 09/26/2019 9:56:25 AM PDT by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: MV=PY

‘CSN&Y sent the background track, no vocals, to Jerry Garcia, and told him to just jam to the tune on pedal steel guitar.’

sometime after that Garcia dropped the pedal steel, fearing that it would cut into his guitar work and render him mediocre on both instruments...he may not have been the best pedal steel guy around, but you couldn’t tell it from his intro to that song...


36 posted on 09/26/2019 10:01:00 AM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: servo1969

37 posted on 09/26/2019 10:03:57 AM PDT by Oatka
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To: IrishBrigade
".... Alternate Nobel Prize, worth about 100k to the winners...."

Lefties awarding other Lefties prizes for being good little Lefties.

I meant convincing others on climate change. I don't think anyone will change their mind on climate change because of this little whiner.

38 posted on 09/26/2019 12:04:47 PM PDT by HotHunt (Been there. Done that.)
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To: Theophilus

but of what, i’m not sure


39 posted on 09/26/2019 2:52:34 PM PDT by Chode (Send bachelors, and come heavily armed!)
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To: MV=PY

I knew Garcia played pedal steel on the song, but I hadn’t heard that.


40 posted on 09/26/2019 3:04:03 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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