'Science Moms' campaign seeks to make climate change personal for Americans

(Reuters, 14 Jan 2021) Campaign aims to harness mothers' concern for their children to spur lagging action on climate change.

Some of the largest wildfires in Colorado's history left atmospheric chemist Emily Fischer and her two young daughters breathing in smoke for nearly two months last year.

"It really rattled me," the Colorado State University climate scientist admitted this week.

Like many mothers, she is increasingly worried about her children's safety and future as global warming impacts worsen - and that has led her to join a new effort to harness maternal concern to propel lagging climate action.

"I'm hoping I can help shift the message from just, 'kids are impacted by climate change' to 'your kids are impacted by climate change'," Fischer told the online launch of the "Science Moms" campaign this week.

"To me, that's really powerful," she said, noting that - like most mothers - the children she worries most about are "the same kids making noise outside my office door right now".

External link

Reuters, 14 Jan 2021: 'Science Moms' campaign seeks to make climate change personal for Americans