Science educator Bill Nye came to the Kohl Center Monday with a rallying cry to students: “Change the world!”
Thousands of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison welcomed Nye with roaring applause as he walked onstage to the theme song for “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” the educational kids show that gained him fame in the ‘90s.
In conversation with Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Nye spoke about his advocacy over the years, how to educate the public about science and ways to tackle climate change. The event was held by the Wisconsin Union Directorate as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series.
Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, moderated a conversation with Bill Nye on April 25 at the Kohl Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A stand-up start
Nye is well-known as a television personality, but said he never expected to become famous. During college in the late ’70s, his career in comedy began when he won a Steve Martin look-alike contest.
Nye started impersonating the actor for parties and events, and a decade later, quit his job as a mechanical engineer to pursue standup comedy full-time, often using jokes with a science twist.
Teaching about science has changed since his days dropping buckets of water on his head for “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” Now people can gather information through the internet “faster than ever,” and some are becoming more vocally against science, forcing Nye to change his strategy.
“We have this element that’s anti-science, and it’s bad news,” Nye said. “When you're on the electric cable news shows, it's not a lot of buckets of water, so you can’t make the point in the same way. What you want to do is present good information calmly over and over.”
He said science should be offered more extensively in schools, especially to students in elementary grades, so that it becomes “part of the everyday experience.”
“Look, we don’t want everybody to become an engineer,” he said. “The fashion problems with that alone would be very troubling. But we do want everybody to have a science background or knowledge of it.”
Citing an article of the Constitution, Nye said embracing science can be patriotic, adding that one of the roles of Congress is to promote the progress of science. Many politicians he talks with appear ignorant of that.
“It's in the freakin’ constitution, senator!” he said. “They used the word science in 1786 because they realized its great value, and it's truer than ever today.”
Three takeaways
Nye detailed ways people and institutions can reduce their carbon footprint, saying “the goal is not to do less. It's to do more with less of an effect on the environment.”
Outlining his three big takeaways, he said the world can be better for all people by raising the standard of living for women and girls through clean water, reliable electricity and access to the internet.
“With those three things, we can change the world,” he said. “We are all humans, we are all ultimately from the same tribe barely 100,000 years ago. So let us all work together.”
During a Q&A with the audience, one person in the crowd told Nye that UW-Madison invests millions of dollars in the fossil fuel industry through the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association. Some students have been protesting the university’s involvement in the sector throughout the school year.
The crowd member asked him whether the university should divest this money and instead use the funds toward renewable energy.
“I’m all for it, you guys,” he said. “So, let's get going, let's get this done. Divestment is a fine first step.”
Another way to help combat climate change is to vote, he said, and to take the environment into account when doing so.
“For those of you who think voting doesn't matter, and you don't want to participate, would you just shut up?” he said. “Let the rest of us who want to get things done get out there.”
While Nye expressed frustration with those who deny that climate change exists, he ultimately has hope for young people and the future.
Climate deniers will eventually “age out,” he told the audience, “and then you all will be running the show. You'll get a chance to change the world.”
