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Bill Nye: ‘Voting is more important than recycling in fight against climate crisis’

Bill Nye: ‘Voting is more important than recycling in fight against climate crisis’

Television’s Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ is urging people to vote if they want to save the planet.

The broadcaster, 66, told the crowd at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado, that ticking a box might even be more important than recycling if humanity is to survive the climate crisis.

He said: “To be sure, recycling the bottles, don’t throw the plastic away [and] compost your compostable things ... Start there.

“[But] if you want to do one thing about climate change: Vote.

“And, if you’re a kid and you can’t vote yet, make sure your parents vote. Hassle them.

“Take the environment into account [when voting].

“Don’t just vote for, with respect, dumb stuff. Vote for better laws to control climate change.”

He spoke soon after the the Supreme Court decision’s to limit how the Environmental Protection Agency regulates carbon dioxide emissions from power plants – which he called “human negligence”.

“What we’ve got to do is pass better laws,” Nye added.

“The Supreme Court does what the law says, so we just have to pass laws that are more direct, more specific, more in everybody’s best interest.”

Environmental experts say the Supreme Court’s decision could make an already grave situation worse for those affected most by climate change and air pollution.

President Biden called the Supreme Court’s ruling “devastating”.

Environmental and climate justice advocates from across the United States are decrying the court’s 6-3 ruling, saying it will be felt most by communities of colour and poor communities, which are located near power plants at higher percentages than the national average.

They are calling on the EPA to find alternate ways to limit carbon dioxide emissions and other forms of air pollution, and for Congress to grant the agency the authority to do so.