Chicago Tribune | Be a Seed for Change

I’m writing because we had a big win since then—after an enormous outcry from UCS and other concerned citizens and groups, the Koch brothers have dropped their attempt to buy up eight major newspapers.

This is a huge victory, but we know the Kochs aren’t going away yet. Along with funding climate-denying front groups, they’re still trying to buy up media (a Koch spokesman said “Koch continues to have an interest in the media business and we’re exploring a broad range of opportunities…”). We’ll continue to keep a sharp eye on the Kochs’ activities and defend climate science at every step. But we need your help and continued involvement. If you’d like to support our efforts, you can make a special gift to UCS now >>

—Kathy

What do you do when you’re a billionaire and scientific facts about climate change can hurt your bottom line? You fund a massive network of disinformation. And if that doesn’t work, you try to buy some newspapers.

Oil tycoons Charles and David Koch are behind nearly every major effort to stall climate progress in the United States. They bankroll anti-science “think tanks”, pay “experts” to publish faulty reports—and now they’re trying to buy a chain of eight major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times.¹

UCS members are fighting back—exposing Koch-funded “authorities” and sending thousands of letters to newspaper owners asking them not to sell to these ideologues. Our campaign has reached a fever pitch. Will you help?

Stand up for science and fight the Koch machine—donate today >>

It’s tough to even track all the ways Koch money permeates America’s dialogue on clean energy and climate change. But no one out there is doing a better job than UCS. And we’re not just tracking it. We’re doing something about it:

*The Koch Brothers stop at nothing to undermine climate science and clean energy…*	~~ UCS members stop at nothing to defend them… ~~
Koch-funded campaigns attack progress on renewable energy in state after state—opposing solar development in Georgia and wind power in Ohio through misinformation campaigns, citing inaccurate statistics.²	~~ UCS members give lawmakers the facts. Just this year, you’ve sent tens of thousands of letters that make the case for renewable energy—and we’re winning in state after state, including the Kochs’ home state of Kansas.^{3 ~~}
The Koch Brothers bankroll anti-science “think tanks” like the Heartland Institute, infamous for its billboard campaign equating climate scientists with Osama bin Laden and the Unabomber.⁴	~~ UCS exposes the money behind these groups—and publishes science-based reports, trusted by policymakers, that answer tough questions on global warming, extreme weather, nuclear safety, and agriculture.~~
They hire “experts” to distort science to protect their bottom line. A Koch-owned company was just taken to task for planting misinformation in scientific journals to hide a product’s cancer-causing risk.⁵	~~ Our experts stand up for science in the media, in statehouses, and on Capitol Hill, correcting distorted science through interviews and testimony. ~~
They go after big media. The Kochs are looking to buy eight trusted papers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, where their influence could distort the truth about climate change and energy policy.⁶	~~ UCS members hold a spotlight up to disinformation in the media. Together, we’ve exposed Fox News and The Wall Street Journal for their distorted coverage of climate science, and uncovered media outlets that fail to warn readers about conflicts of interest.^{7 ~~}

The Koch Brothers will keep fighting until there’s no fight left. That’s how they operate.

There’s only one way to respond. When they distort the facts, we say so and tell the truth. When they lobby lawmakers, we flood offices with constituent calls and letters. When they try to hide their trail of influence and money, we shine a spotlight. When others duck, UCS members stand up, stand together, and fight back—with science on our side.

This fight needs your support right now. Make a special gift today.

There’s no time to waste.

By ThinkProgress War Room

Extreme Weather is Extremely Costly

We’re now six months out from Superstorm Sandy, which should serve as a reminder that we’re experiencing more damaging extreme weather events linked to climate change. And with the mounting frequency and severity of these events will come mounting costs.

A new report from our Center for American Progress colleagues finds a rather dramatic level of federal disaster relief spending – an average of $400 per household annually. You should check out the full report, but here’s an infographic that lays out the key facts: