The United States Department of Defense has called climate change the biggest "threat multiplier" worldwide because of its potential to magnify and exacerbate the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty and conflict. What has been done climate-wise cannot be reversed; what humans can do, as Bill Nye "the Science Guy" (Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation) proposes, is consider lifestyles that reduce the carbon footprint and treat the planet as homeowners rather than as short-term renters.
In Unstoppable, Nye provides a hopeful and pragmatic blueprint of tempering climate change by applying his engineering skills and existing science to tackle the problem. At the heart of this conundrum lie inefficient sources of energy that produce significant waste, like farming methods that have proven to be the heaviest emitters of greenhouse gasses, and fossil fuels such as gasoline, of which two-thirds comes out a tailpipe as waste. Nye argues for the need to find cleaner, efficient carbon-free energy alternatives that "put energy in the bank," like nuclear power, solar and wind power. He discusses the pros and cons of natural gas over coal burning, and the viability of reverse osmosis to desalinate seawater, mimicking the actions of Florida mangroves.
Maintaining the status quo will lead to staggering economic costs, but Nye believes that sustainability doesn't have to mean sacrificing the modern comforts of living. "The longest journey starts with a simple step... lifestyle changes that add up to collectively change the world." It's time for each person to answer that call and do their fair share. --Nancy Powell, freelance writer and technical consultant