John-
On Friday, we came together as part of over 4 million people around the world to Strike for Climate action. It was a powerful day, supporting youth organizers whose future hangs in the balance as world leaders continue to fail to act fast enough to avert runaway warming.
Today, we are joining with 350 Seattle, 350 Tacoma, and KNKX Listeners for Accurate Climate Science to launch a new petition calling on the Seattle and Tacoma-based NPR station KNKX to give listeners accurate, non-politicized information about the impact of global warming on our weather and climate in its weekly feature “Weather With Cliff Mass.”
“Weather With Cliff Mass” doesn’t reflect the consensus of global climate scientists. For 8 years and counting, KNKX has broadcast “Weather with Cliff Mass” three times each Friday. In this feature, Dr. Mass consistently minimizes the significance of global warming and its impact on weather. 325,000 listeners tune in to KNKX weekly on its 12 radio signals in Western Washington - so Dr. Mass’s climate minimalism matters!
KNKX listeners need the most accurate information available from the scientific community on how weather and climate interact. Weather and climate are not the same thing, but they are related: global warming, which we know is happening, is affecting climate, and climate is affecting weather. KNKX has an obligation to provide listeners with this information so that we can make the best decisions possible on the issues that drive greenhouse gases and global warming.
Dr. Mass is a UW professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences where he was recently involved in two controversies. The first controversy concerned a post on his blog which many felt was racist and prompted the UW Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to contact the Atmospheric Sciences Department with an admonition. The second controversy concerned an ethics charge regarding the use of UW resources for a political video opposing Initiative 1631, regarding a carbon fee and a just transition.. KNKX risks its journalistic reputation featuring someone who uses inflammatory language and imagery and who has been fined for an ethics charge for using public resources for political advocacy.
As the IPCC and federal agencies have declared, we are in a climate emergency. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. KNKX has a moral obligation to provide listeners with the scientific community’s consensus on how climate change is impacting our lives and the planet, while there may still be time to do something about it.
Please sign and share today!
In Solidarity,
350 Eastside - Sara, Phil, Lynn, Bonnie, Emily, Marilyn & Lin
