Transcript:

News Anchor: Hello and welcome to Don’t Just Sit There – Do Something! for climate news, climate science, and easy ways you can make a difference, right now.  With an election coming up, it’s a great time to talk about the politics of climate, and encourage everyone to care about climate change, no matter what your political affiliation is.Scientist: The record setting heat, wildfires, drought, and melting ice this summer are just a warm-up act, if we don’t get serious about reducing our climate pollution from using fossil fuels -oil, coal, and natural gas- for transportation and power.

Neighborhood Person: I was really hoping to pretend that this summer was just a bunch of isolated incidents in no way related to global climate change.

Scientist: Because climate pollution stays in the air for a while, our actions in the next few years are so important.  Whether you consider yourself a tree-hugger or not, climate change matters. {clip of flower-child hugging a tree} And recognizing the need to Do Something about climate change shouldn’t be a partisan issue.

News Anchor: According to the Pew Research Center, 97% of climate scientists agree that manmade climate change is real.

Scientist: {closeup} The climate scientists agree we’ve got a problem.  They have done their job.  It’s time for us to insist our politicians do their jobs, and start agreeing on some solutions.

News Anchor: {closeup} Governor Romney stated in September, however, that while he accepts climate change is real and humans are a factor, we shouldn’t put limits on climate pollution.

Neighborhood Person: So, it’s a huge problem but we shouldn’t do anything about it?  That’s.. what is that?  That’s not a reasonable position!! That’s like if the firemen knocked on your door, and said your house was on fire and you said no, don’t put it out, the fire will probably burn out on its own eventually and I don’t want you getting my furniture all wet. And maybe we should just let house fires happen without interfering, and the world would be a better place.

News Anchor: An oil-funded group, Americans for Prosperity, brags that groups like theirs have “made “great headway” …in making accepting climate science a political liability” for Republican candidates.{quote from National Journal article}

News Anchor: {closeup}The oil and gas industry has given candidates $200 million in direct campaign funding since 1990 to influence our elected officials in Washington, D.C.

Neighborhood Person: {raising pinky to lips a la Dr. Evil}200 mill-io-n dollars?{flashbeep}

News Anchor: Three-quarters of that money has been spent on Republicans.

Scientist: The fossil fuel companies are looking out for their best interests – they’ve got a product to sell.  We need leaders who will look out for our best interests, long-term.

Neighborhood Person:{while typing on phone} Here’s what I don’t get – shouldn’t conservatives want to conserve?

News Anchor: Despite the pressure, some conservative lawmakers support climate action.  Republican lawmakers have worked WITH Democrats to come up with climate bills.{flash Cantwell-Collins 1st page} Republican climate scientists have tried to get their party leaders to listen.  Evangelical Christian leaders, often conservative politically, have called for the faithful to act on climate change and become better stewards of Creation.  Hunters and sport fishermen nationwide are in favor of acting on climate change. And under the mantra “Conservation is Conservative,” the group formerly known as Republicans for Environmental Protection {Prince symbol segues to ConservAmerica logo} is sending an open letter to the Republican candidate for President, Mitt Romney, urging a commitment to clean energy.

Scientist: As a voter, it’s better to think of climate change not as a separate issue, but as a lens with which to view every other issue.  There is no way to talk responsibly about the future of our national security, energy independence, agriculture, job growth, or the economy, without considering the huge changes happening to our climate.

News Anchor:{closeup}The Democratic Party platform now says “global climate change is one of the biggest threats of this generation.”  The Republican platform, on the other hand, has dropped even the admission that we need to address climate change at all.

Neighborhood Person: Seriously, how are you going to just refuse to do anything at all? Were you around this summer??? {flashbeep}

Neighborhood Person:{while typing on phone} If you think the fossil fuel companies are going to change what they’re doing without any incentive, you’re a few Keystones short of a pipeline. {link to Episode 8: Tar Sands} {flashbeep}

News Anchor: President Obama, by contrast, has repeatedly expressed a commitment to expanding our use of clean energy, even while faced with the most anti-environment Congress ever. {League of Conservation Voters citation}

Scientist: Studies have calculated that acting on climate could create hundreds of thousands of jobs.  The U.S. could be a world leader on this, instead of standing still while countries like China continue to invest more than us in green tech, and get the jobs and economic growth that come with it.

News Anchor: If you want to make sure that the next few years put us on the path to preserve our climate and come out on top of the clean energy revolution, don’t just sit there – Do Something!

Neighborhood Person: Okay, here are your two actions this episode – an easy action to make a difference in your own life, and a larger action to push for bigger change.  First, save energy and money by keeping your refrigerator and freezer full – with containers of water if necessary – and keep the doors closed as much as you can.  {looking offscreen} Do I have to say this?  {to camera, grudgingly} It’s that easy to avoid losing your cool.   {Action: Keep your fridge/freezer full and closed}

News Anchor: Secondly, whether you are black, white, straight, gay, a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above – someone died to give you the right to vote in our democracy.  Be a voter this November 6th.  Make sure you’re registered, have ID if you need it, and know your polling place.  The link below can help. {Action: Be a voter Nov. 6}

Neighborhood Person: You know, or don’t, but when our planet burns down, I’m blaming you.

Scientist: Keep your fridge and freezer full and closed, and be a voter on November 6.  In other words,

News Anchor: Don’t Just Sit There…

Scientist: Don’t Just Sit There…

Neighborhood Person:Don’t Just Sit There – Do Something!!

News Anchor: And that wraps up this episode – tune in next time to hear the latest and learn something about climate.  Up next in our tour of the fossil fuels is the latest craze in natural gas drilling, an increasingly popular technique called hydrofracturing, or fracking, so join us.  As always, you can follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, iTunes or on the web at dosomethingaboutclimate.com.  So watch again, and tell your friends.

Neighborhood Person: I just think our elected officials should, you know, care about protecting us and making sure there’s a future for our kids.  Right?  I mean… right?