Netflix and… climate change?
Scroll through Netflix long enough and you’re likely to come across a disaster flick. Watching one of these movies may help you escape the summer heat. Unfortunately, it could also be fueling a global climate crisis that is all too real.
This is no time to chill.
Forests are burning again this summer across the American West. 1 It’s an increasingly regular reminder that these destructive wildfires are becoming more intense as precipitation patterns change and tree-killing pests like bark beetles find more favorable conditions as the climate changes. 2
Earlier this month, a trillion-metric-ton iceberg the size of Delaware broke off into the ocean — possibly due to climate change. 3
And the US House of Representatives — known for the skepticism of many of its members — just voted for a defense spending bill that explicitly acknowledges the specific threat that climate change poses to national security. 4
But you don’t have to read the news to know that that climate change is real — and that we can do something to address it.
The vast majority of published scientists say that climate change is real and is caused by people. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, American Meteorological Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and other impartial, scientific institutions have also adopted official positions that climate change is real, is caused by humans, and is urgent. 5
Netflix can help address the climate crisis.
Netflix uses massive amounts of energy to bring its services to people like you and me. Unfortunately, most of that energy now comes from dirty, pollution-creating power plants, according to a recent study by our colleagues at Greenpeace. 6
Netflix’s reliance on these polluting plants contributes to climate change and threatens our clean air and water, wildlife and special wild places. 7 There’s nothing illegal about Netflix’s dirty practices. But it would make a huge positive impact if they went green.
How You Can Help
American businesses — especially major energy consumers like Netflix — can do more to reduce the emissions that fuel rising temperatures and climate.
Why Netflix? The video streaming service uses massive amounts of energy to bring its services to people like you and me. Unfortunately, around 80 percent of that energy now comes from dirty, pollution-creating power plants, according to a recent study by our colleagues at Greenpeace. 8
By signing the petition, you will be sending a powerful message to Netflix about the importance of clean energy. It’s a powerful message and we think Netflix will listen.
Notes
1 “Incident Management Situation Report,” National Interagency Coordination Center, Retrieved July 17, 2017.
2 “Longer, Fiercer Fire Seasons the New Normal with Climate Change” Inside Climate News, July 11, 2017.
3 “Q&A: A trillion-ton iceberg is floating in the sea. Now what?” CNN, July 13, 2017.
4 “How Climate Change Denial Threatens National Security,” WIRED, July 17, 2017. LINK: https://www.wired.com/story/how-climate-change-denial-threatens-national-security/
5 “Scientific consensus: Earth’s climate is warming,” NASA, retrieved July 14, 2017.
6 “Streaming shows online could be damaging the environment,” WIRED, Jan. 11, 2017.
7 “Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability,” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Retrieved online July 17, 2017.
8 “Streaming shows online could be damaging the environment,” WIRED, March 30, 2017.