‘Science Moms’ work to address climate change issues

As climate change continues to threaten our daily lives, and as Arizona faces an unprecedented heat crisis, a group of leading climate scientists, who are also moms, came together in January to launch a new movement called Science Moms, aimed at addressing these climate issues head-on.

Science Moms is giving mothers across the country the tools and education they need to act and protect their children’s futures through a 10 million dollar advertising spend, powered by the Potential Energy Coalition, the largest ad buy on climate change since Al Gore’s in over a decade.

At the helm of this movement is Dr. Joellen Russell, Chair for Integrative Science and an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Geosciences. She discussed the impact of climate change in Arizona with us.

She said they created the movement because they are trying to get the word out about climate change and help make moms into advocates. They want to do something about it. We talked about the tools and the education to protect children’s future.

She said there are 2 parts. What is going on/ how it’s happening, and then what you can do about it. She said they are short and perfect for fitting it into those few minutes you have in a day. They are using their “mom voices” to try and get something done.

They are “demystifying” climate change. She said the science moms are working on this campaign. This is their job. She explains that she is trying to make it as straightforward as possible.

We talked about the misinformation on climate change. She said they are looking at the facts and that climate change has become more political than is needed. She said last summer, there was significantly more 100+ degree weather than in the past.

Although, Russell said that carbon admissions are so much lower than in the past, so the world is well on its way. She knows that everyone can do this and do what’s best for their kids. We also talked about her being featured in the New Yorker. She said this is because there needs to change. She said the response has been great.