MINNEAPOLIS Paul Douglas is a veteran of the school circuit over 40 years.
The warm-hearted Minnesota meteorologist, with his welcoming smiles and guy-next to-door appeal, has made a name nationally.
Douglas has spoken to hundreds and more classes and assemblies over the course of his decades-long career, which also includes starting several weather-related firms.
Douglas’ fourth book, A Kids Guide to Saving the Planet, is his attempt to spread his classroom message to a wider audience. A Kids Guide to Saving the Planet, Beaming Books, $22.99) provides information on the science behind global warming and offers suggestions for actions that kids can take to make a difference.
He said that he talks to many people and that there is a lot of anxiety and despair out there. The goal of the book was to counter this narrative of doom and gloom.
Douglas, a Minnesota resident, spoke to us about his focus and ideas regarding the younger generation, sustainability, and 2050.
Why did you decide that this book would be written?
In the late 1990s, I began to notice the effects of climate changes. My presentations shifted from weather-specific to climate changes and how climate change is influencing our weather.
Most people believe that climate change is real and that something is happening. There is natural variability in the weather. Since the beginning of time, there has been. But people are beginning to see climate change as a part of their lives.
Why did it appeal to you to write it for children.
There is a general anxiety about climate change. It’s something I see all the time, but it seems to be a common theme among young people. They are concerned. They pay attention. They are connecting the dots that link extreme weather and climate changes. We ignore this anxiety at our peril.
That was what got my off the penny to write this book. This and the birth my grandson was what got me off the ground. This got me thinking about my legacy, and how I can help him and other children like him.
Is climate change too difficult for children to discuss?
Although it is a daunting topic, I work to make it more relatable and practical for children.
You need to be careful with how you present information. People will just curl up in fetal positions if you make it paralyzing. People can be motivated to take action if you present it in an optimistic way. I didn’t want to scare children. I tried to thread the needle.
Your book is filled with science, including information about greenhouse gases and disrupted jet streams, acid rain, ozone depletion, and ozone depletion. You were concerned that it would be too difficult for children to understand?
I didn’t want to minimize or sugarcoat the facts. I wanted to be honest with the science and make it accessible in a more humane way.
The book’s tone and the illustrations are great. At first I thought Were going have charts and diagrams. The publisher suggested illustrations would be more appealing to children.
Did you think of a kid when you wrote?
I really tried to keep my eyes on the prize and visualize my 10-year-old science-geek self.
The title of the book, It’s not hopeless and we’re not helpless, is a powerful message, one that we don’t hear often when it comes to climate change. How did you come up this idea?
It’s been a part my presentation for at least five or six years. I mean it. We might be doomed if we continue to sit on our hands for 50 years. Scientists say we must act right now. It is not about politics or policies. But it is also about developing an ethics of sustainability that promotes a smarter, more polluting way to live and work. This, in my view, is common sense.
About half the book is about the problems. The other half focuses on what kids can do right now.
The book includes short profiles of children around the world, as well as those from the Twin Cities, who are already fighting climate change. Why?
I wanted them be an example to young people who had taken the initiative.
You seem to have a lot faith in our young people.
Tom Brokaw spoke about the Greatest Generation who lived through World War II. But I believe there’s room for a greater generation.
Some children are upset that they will inherit a warming world. It is clear that you adults have messed it up. I believe that young people can save us from our own mistakes. They’re the ones who will decide what happens next.
The book ends with a vision of 2050. We have made significant strides in electric vehicles, eco friendly houses, extensive recycling, and close to zero emissions. It is not realistic to project such a positive picture of the future.
We can do it, I think. We can have all that we want and everything we need, without placing too much pressure or burden on our only home Earth.
More disruptions and warming are on the horizon. But we can avoid a worst case scenario. We will eventually need government intervention but many solutions can be found from scratch.
There is no magic bullet to combat climate change. However, there are silver buckshot. It is important that everyone takes steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
That’s what I wanted young people to remember: You will be part the solution.
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