The News: Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), one of the best Congressmen I’ve ever known, wrote to the Heartland Institute today to request original copies of Heartland Institute documents leaked this month by Peter Gleick that show the institute is funding a federal employee to spread global warming confusion and conspiracy theories in public schools. Markey wants the documents to ensure that Congress can adequately assess “Heartland’s corporate-funded efforts to influence science education,” as Think Progress writes. Think Progress has posted Markey’s full letter to Joe Bast, president of the Heartland Institute.
As you can see, Markey is specifically concerned about a “campaign to undermine the teaching of well-established science,” but also some other matters regarding corporate-funded campaigns aimed at the topic of climate change.
Here’s a nice video created by the Climate Reality Project on this concerning effort:
Why This Is Important: Global warming is one of the most concerning challenges facing humanity, if not the most concerning. We know the cause of the problem and we know how to fox it. The only thing stopping us is lack of political will, which is largely driven my campaigns, like the one above, focused on confusing the public. For more on why this is important, check out the some of the most concerning effects of global warming or check out specific videos on global warming science, politics, and activism.
Opportunity for Action: For now, share this news with friends! The only way to combat bad education (which the American public has been receiving for years from the fossil fuel industry) is with proper education.
Ed Markey photo via Government Printing Office (GPO) on Wikimedia Commons