DAVE ROSS

Ross: Climate change will eventually make us all believers

Jan 27, 2020, 8:53 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2020, 7:43 am

Climate change...

It won't take long before climate change is at our collective front doors. (Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Two weeks ago, BlackRock, the Wall Street powerhouse which manages trillions in assets, announced it would set up special funds that avoid investing in coal and oil, so that climate change believers could invest according to their vision of the future.

Ross: Another climate change report says we’re doomed

And I see that companies ranging from BP to Microsoft are also responding to climate change, with Microsoft even promising to be carbon negative by 2030! Which I guess means that you would be hastening the end of the world by not playing Grand Theft Auto 5.

Which is why I just wanted to take a moment to ask the climate believers to go easy on the climate deniers.

Here’s why: I saw an economic study that in areas with a lot of climate “deniers,” waterfront homes sold for 7 percent more than in the “believer” neighborhoods. That’s because people invest according to their vision of the future.

Edmonds church looks to bridge gap between climate change, religion

You believers who find yourselves living at sea-level or holding fossil fuel stocks are going to wake up one day in a cold sweat realizing it’s time to sell.

When that day comes – who are you going to sell to? Right! That person who thinks you’re a nut-case tree-hugger.

So be nice to that person! That person may end up as your best friend ever. Just don’t wait too long, because as a wise investor once said, when the water reaches the third floor, everyone’s a believer.

Listen to the Seattle’s Morning News weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

Image: Sound Transit tested train service on the 2 Line between southern Bellevue and Microsoft for...

Dave Ross

Ross: We built it, and they had better come

About 17,500 people attended the opening of the Eastside light rail line. It shows a curiosity about getting to Redmond without driving there.

9 hours ago

Photo: A pro-Palestinian demonstration takes place outside the link light rail station at the Unive...

Dave Ross

Ross: Does the right to protest outweigh the right to learn?

When does a protest cross the line? I can answer that. When it devolves into violence, obviously it crosses a line.

2 days ago

privacy pods...

Dave Ross

Ross: Tracking employees’ vital signs at work via privacy pods, what could go wrong?

I saw a Bloomberg story about the latest innovation to reduce your stress level at work: Privacy pods.

1 month ago

car culture...

Dave Ross

Ross: Are we killing car culture? Or is car culture killing the US?

I don’t think the question is whether we're going to "kill" our car culture. The real question is can we stop our car culture from killing the U.S.?

1 month ago

drivers data insurance...

Dave Ross

Ross: As cars release driving data to insurance, is your driving my business?

Every move you make, every swerve you take, every lane change you fake – someone’s watching you. Do drivers have a right to keep driving data private?

1 month ago

rent control...

Dave Ross

Ross: Rent control was never the answer in Wash.

The rent control bill died in the Washington State Legislature this week, even though Democrats control both houses.

2 months ago

Ross: Climate change will eventually make us all believers