A sustainability scientist and climate communicator went viral on TikTok after calling out the oil industry's part in rising global temperatures.
Alaina Wood (@thegarbagequeen) posted a public service announcement on her TikTok account explaining the connection between our changing climate and oil companies' push for dirty energy. The video gained major traction online, reaching over 78,000 viewers and sparking hundreds of comments.
@thegarbagequeen You can thank big oil for this heatwave. They knew climate change was real and fossil fuels are a major cause of it long before I was born, so they spent decades and billions of dollars to convince you otherwise in order to avoid making less money. It's time the fossil fuel industry is held accountable for their crimes against humanity.
♬ original sound - Alaina Wood
"This heat wave is brought to you by big oil," says Alaina. "They knew that climate change is real and fossil fuels are a major cause of it … but instead of being part of the solution, they decided to lie about it to stay relevant."
Though TikTokers shared their frustration at the situation, they were glad to see someone online advocating for change.
"Every time I go outside and instantly start sweating, it's becoming more and more days of the year, uninhabitable," commented one user.
According to data from Climate.gov, global temperatures have risen at a much more dramatic rate over the past 30 years than in the early 20th century. Human activities, specifically the use of dirty energy, are the main contributors to this severe increase.
Nonrenewable energy sources, such as oil, produce harmful gases. When these gases get trapped in the atmosphere, they cause temperatures to rise, National Geographic explained.
Rising global temperatures have exacerbated heat waves, the BBC reported, making them hotter, longer, and more frequent. Vulnerable individuals are at a high risk when exposed to heat waves, as high temperatures can worsen existing medical conditions.
Alaina further discusses how Big Oil refuses to put the environment and global health before profit.
"Now they're making record-breaking profits while we suffer from a disaster of their own making," she says. "... It's time the fossil fuel industry is held accountable for their crimes against humanity."
TikTokers expressed their appreciation for the post.
"Fossil fuels have pushed the blame of carbon emissions on individuals," wrote one.
"Thank you for posting this," added another. "We need to hold big oil accountable."
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