Polar bear, Svalbard, Norway. Photo: Carl SafinaOn September 8, the New Yorker published an article by Jonathan Franzen titled, “What if we stopped pretending?” By September 11, various instant criticisms and rebuttals had been published including a Scientific American piece by Columbia University climate scientist Dr. Kate Marvel, titled, “Shut up, Franzen.” Basically, Franzen believes there is almost no chance that enough will be done to avert massive climate changes and consequent disruptions in coming decades. The critics find this defeatist, and they object. Thing is, I thought Franzen’s ..read more

I respond to the Trump Administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Endangered Species Act in The New York Times. Read my op-ed here. The post I write about the Trump Administration’s dangerous cuts to the Endangered Species Act for The New York Times appeared first on Carl Safina ..read more

On May 6, 2019, the U.N. released its latest report on Earth’s extinction crisis. As I write in my CNN article, their conclusion is dire and outlook bleak for all life–including humans. But we should not focus solely on people: Our actions are ushering in the extinction of at least one million other species on Earth. “Caring only about people is why we have these problems affecting nature and people. Not caring about nature is degrading the entire planet and its life-supporting systems, causing suffering and misery to life in every corner of the world. Endangering just 100 species constitute ..read more

This May, I joined Safina Center Fellow Paul Greenberg, and writers Mark Kurlansky and John Waldman to craft an opinion piece outlining the problem with Pebble Mine, “Trump’s poison pill for Alaska salmon,” published in The New York Times. Read our piece here. The post ‘The wrong mine for the wrong place’ op-ed runs in The New York Times appeared first on Carl Safina ..read more

Last month, a dead Cuvier’s beaked whale washed up onshore in the Philippines with almost 90 pounds of plastic in its stomach. As I write in my latest piece for CNN, “All these great ocean creatures are like bottles washing ashore, each bearing a message for all of us: We are choking on your trash.” Read my opinion piece for CNN, here. The post A dead whale containing 90 pounds of plastic is a message in a bottle, Carl Safina writes for CNN appeared first on Carl Safina ..read more