How science textbooks in Texas address climate change is at the center of a key vote expected Friday after some Republican education officials criticized books for being too negative toward fossil fuels in America’s biggest oil and gas state.
The issue of which textbooks to approve has led to new divisions on the Texas State Board of Education, which over the years has faced other heated curriculum battles surrounding how evolution and U.S. history is taught to the more than 5 million students.
Science standards adopted by the board’s conservative majority in 2021 do not mention creationism as an alternative to evolution. Those standards also describe human factors as contributors to climate change.
But some Republicans on the 15-member board this week waved off current textbook options as too negative toward fossil fuels and for failing to include alternatives to evolution. One of Texas’ regulators of the oil and gas industry, Republican Wayne Christian, has urged the board to “choose books that promote the importance of fossil fuels for energy promotion.”
I’ve driven through parts of north western Texas and the oil rigs everywhere really seem to enforce how much oil brings employment to the areas much like parts of Alberta. It’s barren, dry and hard worked over land that I’m not sure what else they would do with. Outside of the odd places with water holes like Balmorhea it’s just harsh.
Now I do get a serious evil vibe by this push to keep the public confused and focused on these issues versus what’s going on environmentally. If everyone is fighting over this crap that was already decided on sometime back, they can do whatever they want in these other areas.
They want to make the people think that them pump jacks out there are good for ‘em. Get rid of the stigma behind oil pollution.
Just recently an earthquake was felt all the way in west Texas after it originated near Odessa/Midland. Someone with critical thinking skills will say “oh that’s bad, the fracking is causing earthquakes we should investigate further” vs the mind numbness that they want which consists of “let’s keep goin till something bad happens yeah?”
I wonder what their ground water is like out there. I hear the air has a certain chemical smell to it too.
I didn’t stay long as I was making my way down from NM to Houston to visit a friend. I regretted going that way to make stops in Roswell and Balmorhea as it’s pretty barren and dried out in those parts.
It’s a different dried out from Arizona to me. The parts I did drive around in reminded me of the logging camps of my youth in remote areas. Industrial and dirty. The old school practices of dumping waste as it is the middle of nowhere hasn’t aged well but when it comes to a job many are willing to overlook much.
Alberta is much like this with 1000’s of abandoned oil wells and tailing ponds that the taxpayers are on the hook for long after the outfits have taken the profits and run.
Who cares about earthquakes and pollution. Screw that give me my jobs first. So what if we can’t live without water longer than 2 or 3 days.
It’s a shame Albert’s recent government is doubling down on oil after years of neglecting the power grid and then canceling any more investment into existing alternative power like wind turbines and solar.
After my time living on just solar during my travels in AZ I can see these areas with so much sun having a easier time with solar than the wet climate I come from and it’s a shame they only block further investments into it to protect oil. They are the perfect places for solar and wind.
China has become a leader in the production of solar and they need to do something as one of the world’s largest polluters. These things can take decades and further stalling reinforces in my mind it’s still short term profits above all else. Good luck everyone…
Here’s a map of America that shows how many contaminants are in the water and the percentage they are over EPA minimum reporting standards.
It’s not good.
edit – and if you want to see what might be a reason behind some southern states’ issues, check out Gadsden, AL with 7 pollutants at 4320% over limits; Bremen, GA with 3 pollutants at 3266% over limits; or Pensacola, FL with 12 pollutants at 4350% over limits.