Climate Cover-Up ...Are You Being Manipulated?

A small fire breaks out in the basement of a building. Smoke begins to rise. An eerie glow shines from the creeping blaze. No spriklers have been triggered, no sirens are heard, but subtle signs of impending danger are everywhere. Despite warnings, skeptics choose to deny -- all because they have something to lose.

This book, "Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming", by James Hogan describes a situation similar to the one above. Hogan -- Co-founder of DeSmogBlog -- reveals key players in society and their mass efforts to conceal, disprove and deny that climate change really exists. The book examines big-business and stakeholders in various industries who might stand to suffer if climate change is taken seriously. The novel uncovers the tactics and strategies that are being used to sway public opinion in the direction against global warming.

I believe the first chapter, "Lifeguards vs Lemmings" is one that resonates with readers in that it provides the foundation and general understanding for what climate change is all about. Hogan describes the issue as one involving rocks (or dangers) hidden under water. The skeptics of climate change are "lazy lifeguards", telling the uniformed public that the waters are "safe" to go ahead and take the leap.

While in one chapter he uses a clever metaphor to help readers identify the general issues, he uses the rest of the chapters to emphasize the importance of researching sources. He warns against the habit of trusting "the facts" so easilly, encouraging the public to question all information they are given -- even the information he lists in his book.

When it comes to serving a public, it is the duty of all PR professionals to present information in an accurate and well rounded manner. In the issue of climate change, PR practitioners must be sure to confirmt that "experts" are knowlegeable and truthful of the issue at hand.... Hidden agendas are a DANGER and credibility is KEY.

Climate change is a world issue, and with CO2 emmisions on the rise, it is the public's duty to ensure they are not being manipulated. This WILL affect our future. Do you take climate change seriously? Or have you fallen subject to manipulation?