I saw Bill Nye speak at the RPAC and I am so happy I had the chance to hear him. Besides being an icon from the high school science-class days, he is also a socially conscious political advocate.
More than advocating for a specific cause or for a specific group, he encourages young people to expand their minds of what is and what can be. His tagline, “change the world,” is more than just a suggestion – it is a reminder of how the world can be turned in amazing ways in stunningly brief instants.
On my way out, I heard some girls complain that they didn’t come to be lectured about global warming. Many people believe global warming to be some old battle that doesn’t really matter, or at least won’t matter in our lifetimes. Our kids will solve the problem, right? That is the same kind of thing our parent’s generation said when they found themselves making a mess. Nye was right in saying the Earth will go on, and so will humans. It will just be a difficult journey.
The resounding message about global warming wasn’t about reversing the effects or depleting ozone, or completely changing our lifestyles. The message was simple: small changes we make today will save us in the big picture. Switching our lightbulbs and walking to the grocery store two blocks away are small changes that are barely inconvenient enough to qualify as annoyances and are the small, subtle, individual changes that add up to big differences. They are, as he said, “low-hanging fruit,” things we can do now to see big leaps in our energy efficiency. I encourage all of you to think a little deeper about the things the double-doctorate scientist and entertainer has to say.
He recently produced a show called “The Eyes of Nye” that explores serious and sometimes controversial topics relevant to adults and young Americans. Still with a liberal dose of comedy sketches and lab-coat hijinks, Nye provides a scrutinizing look at some of the biggest current topics in the political and scientific communities. Like his discussion, his show is a voice for advocacy and reason, silly and delightfully nerdy, and still contains the Bill Nye the Science Guy we all grew up admiring.
Nick EckhoffColumbus, Ohio
