CFAC 1' :nMan mm mum Impartant nom Jam (mu-man, founder of The Weather Channel WARNING The Green Left's Campaign to Indoctrinate America's Youth. JOHN COLEMAN Founder, The Weather Channel Dear- You might be surprised to hear that the founder ot'The Weather Channel is a total skeptic of man-made global warming. but it's true. I am. Unlike so many of my colleagues who are caught up in Climate cltange hysteria, I am confident that "man-made" global warming docs not pose a catastrophic threat (as Al Gore says) to the future of mankind and the Eanh itself. As you might imagine, the fact that I don't see it as a significant problem causes considerable discomfort to many ofmy former colleagues in the various fields of climate science, as well as injoumalism. But not all ofthem. Despite claims that "a 97% consensus" supports Mr. Gore's prophesies, the fact is most scientists scoff at such far-fetched apocalyptic visions. I was the original weathercaster on ABC's "Good Morning America" with David Hartman and Joan Lunden. I was honored to be named the Broadcast Meteorologist ofthe Year by the American Meteorological Society. I've studicd this subject for decades. I know beyond any doubt the science behind the global warming frenzy is based on a completely failed theoryt There is nothing alarming in any of the actual evidence. I also know very well when politicians and Radical Green activists step over the bounds of what science actually reveals and into the realms ofpolitieal advocacy and demagoguery. Nowhere do I see this problem more severely than in our nation's schools. Which is why I am writing you today--. to ask you tojoin my friend David Rothbard and his Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) in raising the alarm over the rampant climate indoctrination infesting America's schools and colleges. Yes, it's true: America's schools and college campuses have become ground zero in this fight. But I'm relieved to say that CFACT right now has bold and promising solutions to this relentless indoctrination. Solutions that confront the campus climate socialists and their pseudo-scientific claims head-0n, Solutions that offer bright hope for our future. That's why I am proud to support CFACT. And I hope, after you finish reading David's enclosed letter, that you will support CFACT, too. Respectfully, John Coleman so CFACT I875 Street, NW - Floor Awilsllillulnll,l)C 70mm - 41') NH September 28, 20 7 Dear- A recent survey from Yale University reports tlliltl the odds are at least 50/50 that "global \Vcll'miflg will call, Marylin/inter. .nshelieve icl,'V humans in Extinct! the UN Even the series ofhighly politicized and alarmist "Summer .ls lu pl'ctlicl this Intergovemmenlal Panel on Climate Change have never world-ending level of climate catastrophe Yet, four in l0 ofour fellow citizens believe tlle end 01' human lili: ml is_ list around the comer. It's sad so many are being deceived and filled with Snell unreasonable And it's especially sad that America's young people are being ted in such fearful vision 7 so much so that child expens report "climate nightmares" common among today's children. I believe one or the biggest causes at such nnrensnninp hysteria about climate is the Green Left's in INDOCTRINATING American youth in across our nation. In high schools, colleges, and -- increasingly 7 even in elementary schools. My name is David Rothbard, and I am the president and co-t'oundcr -- the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow. I write to you today to ask for your support Our plans are urgent, A new school year is now underway. Together, we must make sure CFACT's programs 7 especially designed to push back against Green indoctrination ill America's classrooms -- are fully funded and ready to immediately counteract Left-wing climate alarmism in classrooms and on campuses across America. First, please allow me to take a moment to tell you what CFACT does. what we belle": and why we are so successful in our efforts. Page 2 CFACT is a non-profit, strictly non-partisan group based in Washington, D.C. Executive director Craig Rucker and I founded CFACT in 1985 to offer a constructive, factbased voice on consumer and environmental issues. Today, CFACT stands as the one organization that directly and effectively confronts climate hysteria worldwide. At CFACT, we believe the best way to protect the Earth, its wildlife and, most importantly, its people, is to harness the tremendously powerful forces of competition, progress, and political and economic freedom, as well as genuine environmental stewardship. “Genuine environmental stewardship” means that instead of the Green socialists’ agenda of alarm and hysteria based on poor science, CFACT advances practical solutions and sensible approaches based on facts. It’s about intelligent stewardship of our resources, not reckless government intrusions into our businesses and private lives. You should know that CFACT’s advisory board has more than 50 outstanding and respected academic and scientific experts in various fields. t CFACT articles and opinion pieces have appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA TODAY, the Guardian (U.K.), and The Wall Street Journal, to name a few. CFACT spokesmen have also appeared on National Public Radio, the BBC, FOX News, CNN, and dozens of other television and radio programs. CFACT’s leading climate journalist, Marc Morano, has made a huge difference in the global warming debate with his Climate Depot News and Information Service. ClimateDepot.com is now one of the premier global warming and environmental news services in the world, receiving a half a million visitors every month, with more than one million visitors during peak times. The king of American conservative talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, has said: “Morano’s probably single-handedly, in a civilian sense, the guy other than me, of course - doing a better job of ringing the bells alarming people of what’s going on here.” CFACT’s work has been termed “invaluable” by the Arizona Republic. CFACT has been praised for its “effort to bring sound science to the environmental debate” by a former president of the National Academy of Sciences and touted by a respected Boston Globe columnist for “a record of supplying absolutely solid information.” For years, CFACT has been warning America about the Radical Green agenda. It s a war. Not a war to “save the planet,” but an all-out war on capitalism and freedom. And, make no mistake about it, the Left is going all out to use the issues of the environment and global warming to lasso young people into embracing the socialist worldview. Page 3 For example, A-lisl actor Leonardo DiCaprio, an icon among today’s youth, championed the global warming cause after receiving his lirst Oscar award. He said, “Global warming is the most urgent threat lacing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating,” DiCaprio has also been telling young crowds, “I love money ... but ultimately we’ve locked ourselves, through capitalism, into an addiction to oil ... that has to change.” Author Naomi Klein recently wrote a book popular in academic circles called This Changes Everything. It’s about how capitalism is destroying the environment. She has spoken at numerous colleges, and when asked if there was “a way to light climate change without fighting capitalism,” she responded, “No, I don’t think there is a way.” As you might recall, earlier this year the “People’s Climate Movement” march and the “March for Science” were held on successive weekends surrounding Earth Day. There, more than a million people combined to march against climate realism and energy sanity, and in favor of A1 Gore-styled radical “solutions” to “man-made catastrophic climate change.” Most of those who marched and protested were young people either currently in or just out of college. There can be no doubt: The Green Left’s stranglehold on the minds of our nation’s children and young people today is staggering. It’s a huge problem. I believe it is one of the principal reasons rational debate about climate is impossible today. And total hysteria seems to be the only reaction climate advocates can express. Just how bad is it really? Consider the following instances of rampant climate indoctrination. Keep in mind these aren’t isolated incidents; they are happening every day in classrooms across the country. For example, this was reported last year in a student newspaper, The College Fix: “Three professors co-teaching an online course called ‘Medical Humanities in the Digital Age’ at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs told their students that man-made climate change is not open for debate, and those who think otherwise have no place in their course. We will not, at any time, debate the science of climate change, nor will the ‘other side’ of the climate change debate be taught or discussed in this course.” How about this scary example from Portland, Oregon, as reported by U.S. News & World Report: “In an effort to draw attention to the far-reaching and urgent threat of climate change, one school board is taking the fight to its libraries. On Tuesday, the board for Portland Public Schools unanimously approved a resolution to eliminate textbooks ami other materials that east doubt on the existenee of elimate ehange and mankind's hand in its progression." To make matters worse, our tax dollars are being used to indoctrinate Amerien's children-and shut out any views that challenge elimate alarm orthodoxy. There are myriad federal efforts to promote elimate doomsdayism in the classroom. Our CFACT researchers found it impossible to determine just how much of our money is being spent on these programs. But here are just a few of the federal elimate student indoctrination sources being promoted in today's classrooms: 1. Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN). Said to be a "collection of 650F free, ready-to-use resources rigorously reviewed by educators and scientists. Suitable for secondary through higher education classrooms." CLEAN is funded by grants from three federal agencies. w % V. W 2. U.S. Global Change Research Program "Resources for Educators." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) "Teaching Climate." And "Talking to Children about Climate Change." This is the federal agency responsible for all the questionable "hottest month on record" reports. 4. "Going Green! ‘Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World'” is funded by the National Science Foundation. 5. NASA’s "Global Climate Change - Vital Signs of the Planet” Yes, the challenge is enormous. Confronting the Green Left's massive indoctrination effort aimed at our young people is almost certainly the hardest challenge we have ever faced at CFACT. Can you and I have an impact? Yes, but it won’t be easy and it won't happen overnight. In tact, we in the climate realist community have had some victories recently.... uuu should encourage you and me. Especially since CFACT had something to do with all of these accomplishments! For example, as you know. President Trump has committed to pulling the United States out of the ill-conceived Paris climate accord. The White House has also scrubbed climate alarm propaganda from government websites. This is good news! Further, federal programs designed to fund climate alarmism have been frozen and are under review. And Barack Obama's job-killing and economy disrupting "Clean Power Plan" has effectively been cancelled. Page 5 With CFACT’s assistance, alarm advocates have been replaced with climate realists - like Scott Pruitt - at the EPA and in other federal agencies. The global climate alarm propaganda machine embodied by the endless series of UN conferences designed to promote climate junk science and stampede nations into meaningless “climate agreements” has once again been challenged by climate truth-tellers. CFACT also recently made major international headlines in Australia at the alarmist “ECOCITY” Summit by providing exclusive reporting about keynote speaker A1 Gore’s radical comments in which he outrageously compared the battle against climate change to ending slavery and apartheid. Coverage included Fox News, the Drudge Report, The Blaze, SkyNews, the UK’s Daily Mail, and Australia’s Herald Sun, among many, many others. This is encouraging progress. But the truth is, these victories are only temporary setbacks to the climate agenda. As you know, theirs is an agenda of less freedom, more government. An agenda of ever-increasing international authority over U.S. policy. An agenda of lower standards of living (at least for you and me, while the climate elites continue to live in luxurious mansions, generate immense “carbon footprints,” and travel to climate conferences in private jets!). It is an agenda that claims to be about “climate” and “science” ... but consistently favors an ideology of socialism and collectivism over capitalism. An agenda demanding a massive transfer of wealth from “rich nations” to “poor nations.” And it’s an agenda demanding a headlong rush into expensive and unreliable “renewable energy.” An agenda of “carbon taxes” and what amounts to “carbon indulgences” that punish the poor and middle class while enriching Green millionaires and billionaires. Theirs is - 1 believe - an agenda with an ultimate goal of drastically reducing the human population around the world. * Have you noticed how so much of the “big money” behind climate alarmism is the same money going to Zero Population Growth and International Planned Parenthood? Mega­ funders of the Left such as Bill Gates, Ted Turner, and David Rockefeller constantly warn about “too many people” and are also among the biggest cheerleaders for climate alarmism. And there’s this “smoking gun” comment: Christiana Figueres, the long-time leader of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), declared the UN should “make every effort” to decrease population from its current growth trajectory. Yes, we’ve pushed back against extreme climate alarmism. But the rising generation of climate warriors indoctrinated with the Green Left agenda threatens to soon overwhelm all our best efforts to inject sense and reason into the debate on climate policy. And they will do so by indoctrinating our children and grandchildren in the schools with their radical Green, climate alarmist dogma. But despite their grandest aims, I am optimistic that we can successfully fight back. In fact, I believe that as we act aggressively in this area, we will draw attention to the problem. Many parents and fair-minded Americans will see what we’re up against, become outraged, and join our crusade for fairness and balance in teaching climate in our schools. So, what are our plans? First, we need to assess the scope of the problem. We have commissioned a major new studv to determine Is climate indoctrination universal? Or is it worse in some places than others? Are all science teachers part of it - or, as is more likely the case, are there pockets of resistance among veteran teachers who see through the scam and refuse to spoon-feed their students junk science and climate alarm propaganda? If so, who are they? And how can we support them? Our estimated cost for this research is $35,000. We hope to have the initial findings of this study completed this fall —when we will begin to make our findings widely available. The second part of our plan is to use our national assessment study to identify the worst offenders. Those who have completely forsaken fairness and devotion to free speech to shape the minds of students under their control. We will expose these worst offenders through every means at our disposal. This includes our widely read Climate Depot news and information service, our “Just the Facts” daily national radio commentary, and more. The third part of our plan is a public policy solution. We hear a lot about “red and blue” America. The education system, the school administrators, the teachers’ unions, etc., are usually controlled by the Left. But in “red states” - a majority of the country, in fact - these entities are under the sway of elected officials, governors, state legislators, school boards, etc., that do not share their radical climate views and do not want to see their state’s children politically indoctrinated. We recently achieved a victory for a balanced approach to climate education in West Virginia, which we believe can serve as a model for similar programs in other states. In 2015, through an aggressive local effort, CFACT was able to convince school board leaders in the state that students deserve to learn all the facts and are smart enough to weigh alternative explanations. This is the true essence of scientific learning. Of course, the climate alarm crowd opposed us every step of the way. Left-leaning blogs attacked our proposed common-sense curriculum. Global warming pressure groups mobilized their followers to deluge the Board with comments opposing us. They tried to intimidate the West Virginia School Board and send a chilling message to officials in every other state attempting to curtail extreme climate indoctrination. But we were able to convince the state Board of Education the extreme climate views they were hearing do not represent mainstream opinion ... or the hardcore data! Page 7 We convinced them that unbiased data show climate science to be anything but “settled” and that students deserve the right to critically evaluate all the available facts. We convinced the Board that they owe every child an open-minded education free from indoctrination. One of our most convincing arguments, one we will continue to use, is to ask: I f global warming alarmists are genuinely confident in their position, why don’t they welcome evaluation o f the facts rather than constantly try to stifle it? They have no response. Our goal is to take our West Virginia success model to at least two other states this year. And more if funding allows. The fourth part of our plan is to go around the in-classroom indoctrination and open our own communication channel to students outside o f school. This effort begins with the development of a series of humorous and educational short videos to be presented on YouTube - one of the most popular Internet destinations for young people. Climate alarmists like Bill Nye are already doing this, spreading the climate alarm agenda with short videos made to appeal to children. I know we can do better. As this part of our plan moves forward, we will use more of the Internet than just YouTube. We have plans to dramatically expand our social media presence, especially to young people. You’re probably familiar with Facebook. But increasingly, young people use Instagram and a major new platform called Twitch as other prime social media channels. That’s where they go for news and information and that’s where we will be, too! We also have plans to bring our message to millions of young people through games and entertainment options for smartphones and other devices. Programs that will engage youth but also cultivate the critical thinking skills they need to resist indoctrination and see it for what it is. Again, our strategy to address young Americans through social media is not to preach but to use a light-hearted approach and humor to puncture the tedious dogma of the alarmists. The fifth part of our plan to fight climate indoctrination is to intensify the impact and reach of our already highly successful - and one of a kind —CFACT Collegians program. For the past 16 years, CFACT has organized chapters of this campus program at 44 colleges and universities in 19 states. Students in the CFACT Collegians program have the opportunity to hear about and advocate free-market solutions, counter junk science, and promote economic growth. Page 8 In fact, CFACT Collegians is the only program in America solely dedicated to confronting global warming hysteria and other misinformation spewed by the radical environmentalists at America’s colleges and universities. On campus after campus, CFACT Collegians have become a major obstacle to the Green Left’s obsession with shutting down any debate on climate issues. Thanks to CFACT’s Collegians program, every day on campuses across America a rising group of bright and articulate young students (the leaders of tomorrow!) is challenging leftist orthodoxy - and especially its climate change “religion.” These enthusiastic, principled students are challenging the notion that “the debate is over.” They are living proof that the Left has not yet managed to stifle all opposition on our campuses. The program is a success but we must do more this year to confront massive climate indoctrination on college campuses. For example, Collegians can help explode the Green’s Left’s favored myth about climate alarmism. They claim that it is supported by 97% of scientists. This is a lie! Perhaps you saw the peer-reviewed survey of scientists in Forbes magazine. Only 36% o f scientists agree with the end-of-the-world scenario of global wanning. And the best way to expose this endlessly repeated “consensus” lie is to bring an arsenal of leading, distinguished, articulate, and motivating scientists to speak at as many college campuses as we can this year. Scientists like Willie Soon, Roy Spencer, David Legates, Judith Curry, and others who reject climate alarmism and whose resumes and credentials are impeccable. Right now, CFACT has set up Collegians chapters on 44 campuses. That’s 44 out of more than 4.000 colleges and universities in the nation. CFACT would like to establish many more chapters - at least 20 more this school year in our fight against campus indoctrination. The long-term goal in establishing these college chapters is to build a nucleus of young Americans who believe that freedom - individual and economic - is the way to solve problems. Not massive government. And definitely not socialist economic policy. Rather, who believe public policy ought to be based on sound science, not hysterical pseudo-science. In other words, to achieve the exact opposite goal of climate indoctrination in our classrooms! The desire among students for alternative viewpoints on climate is there. Funding is the only thing holding us back. You should know it takes an average of SI 0,000 to get one CFACT Collegians chapter up and running on a college campus. This amount is used to nurture these groups from start-up to the point where they can organize their own events and function as mature, largely independent organizations. Page 9 Our Collegians chapters are also an excellent place to showcase CFACT’s groundbreaking documentary, Climate Hustle, on college campuses. I mentioned the use of humor to overturn the alarmists. That’s exactly what Climate Hustle does. Our blend of entertainment and facts helped make Climate Hustle a hit at the Paris climate summit where it premiered in November 2015. We followed that up at the UN’s climate conference last year in Morocco —where we presented every national deleuation with a copy. And again, at the “ECO-CITY” conference this summer in Australia, where it stole the thunder of Gore’s propaganda-laced “Inconvenient Truth” sequel. Our film’s light-hearted approach to a serious subject is why it became the #1 movie in America per screen during its historic one-night national event in 400 theaters on May 2, 2016, and is now in widespread home-video distribution. Climate Hustle will be a big part of our anti-indoctrination crusade - as I said, through our Collegians chapters, but also on campuses that don’t yet have a Collegians chapter. And, I am excited to say, we are also devising a plan to get Climate Hustle into high schools across the country. We’re also working to include the nation’s estimated 1.5 million home-schooled students —and private and church-related schools as well. We are now preparing a lesson plan to accompany the film that encourages thoughtful, open discussion of climate between teachers and students in all school situations. I realize our vision to take on massive climate indoctrination is ambitious. It will not have an instant impact. Success will be based on a strong start, learning from our successes and failures, and expanding the plan as fast as we can until we are taking on the Green Left’s indoctrination machine in all 50 states and at every level of education. I hope you agree this is a worthy goal. I believe it’s vital for our nation’s future and I hope you concur. It won’t be easy - or cheap. We’re estimating a budget of $35,000 for the indoctrination survey mentioned above. Another $50,000 will be needed to tour “red” America with our West Virginia success model to get other states with sympathetic leadership to help us fight climate indoctrination. Another $85,000 will be needed to develop the entertaining short videos we plan for YouTube and to expand our social media outreach to young people. We will hopefully be able to budget an additional $100,000 for promotion of Climate Hustle over the next few months. And our goal is to raise a total of $200,000 for 20 new Collegians chapters in four regions of the country. Our total anti-climate indoctrination budget, to be fully implemented, comes to $470,000. Page It] $10,000 amount to found a new Colleginns chapter in your name university somewhere in the country. thin: lull lg college or titm it It: Ofcourse. I realize not everyone will be able to give at this level. Your generous donation ofSS 000. $2,500 or $1,000 will also give a big boost to as we with to break the stranglehold the Green Left has on our colleges. our schools. and increasineg every level ofAmen'can education. If you can't contribntc $1,000 or more today. I hope you will help with a gift of$500, $250, or 5100. Let me emphasize that ALL GIFTS OF ALL SIZES are welcome and urgently necessary right now to help us fight student indoctrination. And all your donations to CFACT are tax-deductible. For years, radical lefiists and Green socialists have dominntetl education, Their radical agenda is unchallenged in the vast majority orelassrootns. Our future is being cast right now in the beliefs and perceptions instilled in this generation of American students. Iiwe iitil to rnuke it stand for truth on our campuses, we cannot expch that the future will be a bright one for freedom or sound public policy on the environment. The Green Left and its agenda will have won. And they will win unless organizations like CFACT can do more to the truth and expose the fallacies ofthe global warming dogma We must act guicklv il'we are to deter this growing threat to our future as a free nation. CFACT can't do that without the generous financial support oi friends like you. Thank you for your consideration and prompt response to this most urgent appeal. Respectfull Quit David Rothb President and CorFounder Rs, _uo one else is doing the work we do. No one does more to keep the relentless climate alarm propaganda machine from winning over millions of Americans. No one is better equipped to confront the massive Green Left indoctrination machine now at work on millions of young Americans! Our plan is ambitious. But I believe momentum will build as we convey the extent of the problem to parents and state leaders across the country. You can help us do that With your most generous possible tax-deductible gifi of$100, $250, $500, $1,000, $5.000, $10,000, or more. Our plan needs to launch new for impact this school year, I know you will do all you can, I thank you for your commitment and generostty to our mission!