Comment on “Improving How Scientists Communicate About Climate Change”

Abstract

As former director of communications for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and a writer and editor who has worked in the science and engineering fields for more than 20 years, I applaud Susan Joy Hassol's summary of what scientists need to know to communicate with the public accurately and clearly about climate change in this time of rising demand for information (see Eos, 89(11), 11 March 2008).The article brought to mind the old lightbulb joke about psychiatrists: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one, but the lightbulb has to want to change.