Friday, June 29, 2018

Bill Nye has faith students will turn the tide on climate change

 By Brooks Hays  |  June 15, 2018
Science educator Bill Nye attends the premiere of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" in Los Angeles in 2016. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 15 (UPI) -- Scientist and educator Bill Nye says he expects climate change policy to shift quickly -- as soon as the next generation of young students becomes eligible to vote.

"I think the tide will turn very quickly," Nye told UPI in a recent interview. "My prediction is three presidential elections."

Nye believes in a multifaceted approach to climate change -- a combination of public policy and political advocacy, scientific education and technological innovation.

"It's everything all at once," Nye said. "Not doing one thing instead of the other."

His optimism for rapid change is rooted in his faith in young people and their appreciation for the dangers of global warming. Young people realize -- like he does -- that humans have the resources, technology and know-how to power the world's economy with renewable energy sources.

What people lack, at the moment, he says, is the will. That could change with the implementation of a carbon tax, which would force economies to account for the full costs of the environmental the damage caused by burning fossil fuels and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.

"It would encourage a lot more innovation," Nye said.

The government, Nye says, needs to do a better job of creating a regulatory environment that encourages green energy innovation. He cites the public-private cooperation that produced America's railroad system and the Internet.

"This is doable, what we want to do is work the problem from the bottom up to meet the demands of consumers for electric vehicles and sustainable energy and from the top down to ensure the right policies and regulations are in place to encourage the investment needed to meet those demands," he said.

Nye was in Washington, D.C., last week to recognize the national winners of the 26th annual ExploraVision program, a competition that asks students to conceive of and communicate a scientific technology that will come to fruition 20 years in the future.

One of the winning teams, a group of students from Ward Melville High School in New York, conceived of a solar cell capable of converting a larger percentage of the solar spectra using multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Nye says innovations like the solar cell technologies imagined by Long Island high-schoolers don't arrive as the result of disruption, but are the results of years and years of steady progress.

Scientific innovation that will allow the United States and other economies to wean off fossil fuels and develop greener energy will come slower.

"I like to discourage the term 'breakthrough' or 'disruptive' or 'outside the box,'" Nye said.

Part of the reason Nye supports ExploraVision is its commitment to young scientists and to scientific collaboration.

"You start in kindergarten," Nye said. "It gets people working from the get-go."

Nye's mantra of everything all at once also applies to science education.

As creator and host of the popular PBS children's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy, Nye is most famous for making science intelligible and engaging for young people. Now he works on a more adult science TV show, in its third season on Netflix. He says his approach to science communication remains largely the same.

"Doing the Science Guy show, intended for 10-year-olds and based on very good research, getting people instilled with the lifelong passion for science, it's the same idea for adults," Nye said. "Listen to people and use language and vocabulary that is understandable."

But unlike children, adults come with ingrained ideas -- and not always the right ones.

"When it comes to grownups and science education, if you have a misconception about vaccines, for example, you have to be presented with a lot of science over the course of two years," Nye said.
Knight  Man C .
I had to read it  first   to daddy    I undertand  what it say  you will  to , daddy say I spell better  , poppa is grin.
Good story soon  about poppa  and me   we help daddy in Reno 
we are home now  and on the lake .

6 comments:

  1. Hey Man,
    Good post buddy. I agree with everything Mr. Nye said. We have to tackle climate change from many directions at the same time and educating our children is one of the most important. We believe that when you guys grow up you will take strong action against climate change, You won't be lazy and slow like the grownups now and you won't be bullied by fools like Mr Trump.
    The science will be more advanced too so you will know more about climate change than your parents and other grownups ever did.
    I am proud that you are a Nanook Knight and posted such a good article to teach people. The Knights do good work. I'm very glad I am a knight too. I am looking forward to your 'Poppa and Me' story. They are a lot of fun and make me laugh.
    I love you and some day I will give you such a big bear hug,
    Knight Aunt Jeannie

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    Replies
    1. aunt Jeannie mr. Nye is very smart man he know how talk to kid about importent stuf
      Jenny say all grown up not dumb a few is dump make all look dumb mama say mr Trump is a poop heal some other things mama said daddy not to write them mama is funy when she mad
      I will write Poppa and me next , it a long one my sisters and brother want to read it I put it in mama pantie drawer i let daddy read it and daddy laugh daddy say he proud of me it take me long time to write my post on compter daddy go to sleep I wake daddy up when I want to know some stuff , mama say daddy not sleep he watch me I hapy you is a knight I was a polar bear cub Sha say we big now we are about mother earth daddy say we watcher care take of the plannet we are kinghts of the round table
      I love you aunt Jeannie I will give you a hug
      Knight Man C.

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  2. Howdy my Little Man,
    I am with Bill Nye , I also think the kids/ young adults will turn the tide on climate change and the Knights will be among the bunch , it's like a puzzle , you keep working on it and you will eventually finish it and it will be wonderful and beautiful again .
    You are spelling much better .... I see you put in your post that daddy asked you to read it to him before you post it , he wanted to know did you understand what your post was about , daddy said you found your post and he was happy to type it for you , yes , sweetheart poppa is grinning at you , poppa is so proud . You wrote your byline at the bottom and yes you are spelling better . Everyone is waiting with aunt Jeannie for your next Poppa and Me Post .
    Love you a bushel and a bunch
    Knight Mama

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    1. Hi Mama I like the way Mr. Bill Nye tell kids I under stand him real good
      Mama uncle Harvey said Bubba and I did good at the meeting telling people about climate chnge
      Daddy say he want to know if I under stand what my post say I read it to him I told daddy what it mean daddy smile said he will type my post I happy it is long I write at bottom daddy write it for me .
      Love you Knight Mama
      Knight Man C.

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  3. June 29 , 2018
    Today---------18
    Yesterday-----21
    This month----286
    Total-----------4,996
    JLC

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  4. Knight Jonny
    We are just about at 5,000.... four more hits. That is amazing. Congratulations to Nanook's Knights. Time to celebrate. Back in Medieval times, the knights would eat a roasted boar, drink some ale and have a joust or sword fighting competition. Well, at least uncle Gregg can roast you a boar and you can have some ginger-ale and maybe a Scrabble contest 'hahahahahaha!'
    Love you guys

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