‘The Obama administration hopes to fight global warming with the geeky power of numbers, maps and even gaming-type simulations’ notes NPR. Operating under the idea that transparency and data mean more knowledge, which in turn leads to better decisions, Obama is putting climate change on our personal agendas.
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“Social science literature shows that the more people think a problem, like global warming, is closer to home and immediate, the more likely they are to act.” Proposed by Cornell University professor Jonathan Schuldt, this idea is at the forefront of Obama’s new initiative, and realistically, makes perfect sense.
Climate change is not a problem for so many of us, because we simply have more immediate, more pressing problems in our lives. From the extreme examples of poverty, homelessness or disease, through to simply worrying about paying next month’s bills and looking after our families, we already have a lot on our respective plates. Something perceived to be far in the future, or not directly affecting me, is naturally not going to be a priority. That’s why this initiative could be have heavy impact. Using data to show what could happen to your home, or your city if (when!) something happens, makes the problem tangible and very much a priority.
Here at Markets for Good we shall eagerly await the outcomes along with applications to everyday circumstances. So stay tuned…
Thanks to NPR for publishing the full article. Be sure to follow them @NPR for up to date information and new articles.