Climate change, primarily induced by human activity, is threatening the welfare of countless species across the globe, including our own. It is imperative that we stay informed regarding the effects of global warming and make every effort to minimize our impact.
Nevertheless, there is ongoing competition among the networks to bring the most fascinating and worrisome reports into our living rooms. Sending their crews and celebrity reporters to ground zero (i.e. the Arctic, Antarctica, the Great Barrier Reef, island societies, etc.) to document the damage to both natural ecosystems and human communities, they appeal to both the educated public and responsible advertisers.
One wonders whether the carbon footprint of such ventures outweighs the benefit. Would it not be more responsible to use footage from scientific research expeditions to illustrate the damage we have done? Unfortunately, competition within the media requires that each network send its own "climate specialist," thereby augmenting the problem that they are covering (and exploiting).
