Climate Clock NYC
September 26, 2020
I feel like the clock really doesn't do much, because it doesn't show people the impact these irreversible effects will have. People don't care because they don't visually see how they are being effected. Visuals are very powerful showing some one a result and having them hear it create very different results. If people can see the impact I feel they would be more proactive in changing the outcome. -Evan
The situation is, of course, urgent. But, I'm put off by drop-dead deadlines, in large part because we're already too late to act if we want to avoid horrible consequences. Being too late doesn't mean we should throw up our hands and do nothing - just the opposite. We were too late in ending slavery, in responding to Hitler, and in responding forcefully to Covid-19.
The list of things we were too late with our responses is very long indeed. We are routinely too late. We're too late now. That means we need to get busy.
-Don Haas
Do you think this clock hurts or helps in motivating people to take climate action, and why?
Yes! Most people, including me, are very scared looking at that and thinking about how much time we might have on Earth.
-Grace Kahl
I think the clock is effective because it will kind of scare people into wanting to do better because you never know what can happen if we don't take that clock more seriously.
-Naijely Garcia
I think the clock should be effective in motivating people to take climate action, however, I don't think it will. I believe people will look at this and think they have more time than they actually do.
-Ransel Rodriguez
By showing that we have seven years to address the climate crisis, it makes it clear that we're in an urgent situation.
-John L.
I believe that the clock is not effective. There are too many people on the planet and 7 years is not enough time to convince everyone to go green. I would even go so far to say that even if you tattoo the time onto every humans arm it still wouldn't make a difference. The human desire for instant gratification is one of the hardest battles conservationists face.-Aslon
I do not think it is motivating people to take climate change action. It is however educating people on the impacts and history of environmental issues and climate change. To motivate people I would add more information about the protests going on for climate change, as well as legislation being created to reduce carbon emissions. Give more specific examples of the impacts climate change is having.- Madeline
Deadlines are a useful way to motivate people, but that approach must be balanced with the possibility that some people may choose not to take action if they think making that deadline is hopeless. And climate change reversibility is not as simple as black and white. In any case, whether we make the deadline or not, it will still be important to try to diminish the impacts of climate change. -Rob Ross
It doesn't make sense to have the timing down to a second, so that might make some people question the science behind the clock.
-M. Olsson