Why We Need More Skepticism in Environmental and Health News

 

Skepticism means refusing to accept a statement without evidence (unlike 'climate-change skeptics,' who will not believe words with credible evidence). The environmental news contains a lot of conspiracy theories and extremist views. People predict the end without a scientific basis. The same is valid for health news, where snake oil sellers and miracle cures are promoted by nearly every website that purports to be a news source.

Conspiracy theorists are the most significant environmental problem. Sites like ENEnews, for example, claim a global cover-up of the Fukushima disaster despite the absence of a realistic catastrophe scenario. Global Warming deniers and climate change extremists are the second biggest problem. Deniers spread lies about Climate Change and Global Warming, using arguments like global cooling (which has never been accepted as scientifically valid) or claiming that temperature changes of a few degrees are not that serious. The extremists also promote conspiracy theories that claim the Earth will end. While I agree that pollution and global heating are terrible, it is not the main thing.

Health news has a much worse reputation, as many popular websites promote pseudosciences, such as miracle cures from homeopathy, chiropractic medicine, and faith healing. Quacks will use emotions to discredit people who disagree with their manufactured views because they are easier to manipulate than data. They will label anyone who does not believe in alternative medicines as a paid shill or someone who promotes the pharmaceutical industry through their writing. This is even though the big business has backed many alternative medicine, including homeopathy. The co-opting by big companies of things like organic foods is another problem. This industry exists to profit from people who believe they are eating healthy food. Local food is a better option if you're looking for a nutritious meal. The modern-day organic movement is merely a new branding by large corporations. They have made a few minor changes to their operations but are still doing most of the farming.

The only sources for skeptical information are sites run by busy people with no time to engage in debates with everyone with an incredible viewpoint. There are far fewer skeptics than those who promote quackery and "woo." This is why more sources of skepticism are needed.

Health News Sources

Medical magazines and the Internet are excellent sources of health information and news.

The best way to get health information is through these two sources.

Getting the correct health information is essential, as it can lead to problems. Many medical magazines provide up-to-date health information. Subscribe to magazines that cover the topic of children's health for young parents. Subscribe only to magazines with well-researched articles that have a good reputation. Don't waste your time reading magazines that don't provide accurate information.

When finding health information online, you should look at reputable medical websites. The problem is these websites are too technical to be understood by laypeople. The articles are filled with jargon, and if you're unfamiliar with medical terminology, you may find yourself lost.

Some websites cater to laypeople and make them easier to understand, such as those run by hospitals with a good reputation, like Mayo Clinic. They are informative, and they don't contain a lot of jargon. These sites also provide more insight and ideas about your health and your loved ones. Yahoo's health page is another site you can check out. The articles are straightforward to understand and navigate. The Yahoo site for health has a wide range of topics. These articles are full of helpful health information.