Especially in an environmental science class, we understand the science; we understand why it’s indisputable and why it is such a pressing issue. As a result, the idea that this interview presents us is more valuable than another report on the facts; Anthony Leiserowitz explains how to deal with those who are resistant to the idea of climate change, especially in a political sense. There is no group that better embodies the resistance to climate change than conservatives. Although the interview did show that those who vehemently oppose climate change only make up around 8% of Americans, the fact that they are vocal and appear concrete in their convictions only serves to further sow confusion, leading to further inaction and wasting time that the world …show more content…
Leiserowitz explained, conservatives fear that tackling climate change will lead to extraordinary amounts of regulation through the EPA. Similarly, the second aspect of the conservative mindset that hinders the message of climate change is their focus on economic freedom. This ties in directly with their belief in smaller government, and it pushes them to resist the aforementioned EPA regulations because those regulations will cost money and jobs, at least in the short term. Especially when the United States is crippled by debt and our economy just recovered from a recent recession, fighting climate change, they fear, can drive us deeper into this hole. While a common argument may be to attack their large military budgets, the easier point to make would be that without a habitable planet, we will lose jobs along with our lives. Furthermore, even if living sustainably will reduce revenue from coal and other nonrenewable resources, basing our economic system on products that will eventually run out will only ensure that our society and way of life are doomed when our Earth is depleted. The final aspect, however, doesn’t apply to all conservatives, but those that are religious tend to disagree with climate