 Some of the people who rely on the environment the most seem to care the least about protecting it. Believe me, I know talking about environmentalism in conservative areas is hard, and we're not used to it. But if there's one thing that's been made painfully clear recently, it's that science don't give a s*** if you believe in it. Rural people don't just rely on the land for their living, but also their recreation, their food, and for rivers to float down on tubes tied to bear coolers. By the way, I consider tubing to be the quintessential Southern activity. Jorts are acceptable attire, it's drinking and driving, but you can do it while you're asleep, and the sun is literally making your neck more red. The rap on Southerners is that we're just too stupid or backward to believe climate science, but that's not really the case. I think more people in the South believe in climate change than the rest of the world knows. It's these people at the top of these power structures that are sort of dominating the dialogue that white male evangelicals are the least likely to believe in climate change statistically. And you know these white male evangelicals are still at the head of the power structure in the South. A full 61% of us are seriously stressed about the issue, which is a big deal, because some of us got warrants for back child support that we refuse to worry about. But worrying about something and actually taking action are two different stories. Surveys show that while most Southerners believe that humans are deep frying the planet, they are the least likely to talk to their neighbors about it. Which is ironic, because we're also the most likely to greet you from the window of a pickup truck, like hot enough for you? Roll tide. And appropriately enough, roll tide is exactly what's going to happen right up to your front yard. Southern climate change deniers are like people who let their kids handle fireworks. Yeah, we know some, and they make us all look bad, but they are seriously outnumbered. It just seems like with climate change, the media is like anything else when it comes to the South, any other disaster or tornado hurricane comes through. Anytime they show up, they always talk to the dumbest among us. Yes, we're here with the dumbest among us. I've just talked to him. He tells me that his trailer has flown across the field, but he's not worried about it because it isn't mobile home. One of the many weird things about this is that the people who are the most hardcore about God are often the most reckless about destroying his creation. There was something that happened with religion and public opinion where environmentalists were these like strange activist pagans. And so it just divorced the environmental movement from, you know, a whole bulk of people. I don't know who needs to hear this, but environmentalism is not the same thing as being a damn wicked. I know Christians were taught that God won't allow the environment to be destroyed again after the flood, but we were also taught that God helps those who help themselves. I do feel like the preppers aren't probably prepping the way they should. They probably have like, you know, 30 liters of mellow yellow, 12 pounds of spam, and then like 14,000 rounds of ammunition. The water is going to be higher than their cholesterol, but just barely. Even if I haven't convinced you to think about climate change differently, you should at least be madder about pollution. I think one thing we can all agree on is poison is bad. I mean, unless it's those old cartoon jugs of moonshine with the skull and crossbones on them, that was probably some good. We're talking toxic waste runoff from corporate farms, benzene and mercury from fracking and arsenic and lead runoff from coal mining. All of these poisons make their way to the rivers and streams that provide water for millions of Americans. If you look at where the energy companies have hidden their toxic materials, it's all near low income neighborhoods, low income communities. People hear water crisis and think Flint, Michigan, but Flint ain't alone. 5,000 drinking water systems racked up health violations in 2015. Half of them serve municipalities of 500 people or less, i.e. the types of towns that people like me grew up in. So why ain't hillbillies and rednecks more up in arms about this stuff? Well, in our defense, you won't necessarily notice the planet's getting hotter when you live in a place that's already too damn hot to begin with. And the effects of contaminated water are hard to recognize. It's not like every impacted kid comes out with six toes and a tail. And hell, even if he did, we'd probably just be glad that made him better at climbing trees. And then there's the fact that we're getting a steady stream of misinformation from the politicians who are funded by the very corporations who are messing with the planet. Yeah, even though they're quick to cry poor over new EPA regulations, they got no problem finding a few million in their couch cushions to fund candidates who will oppose environmental protections. So I want to talk straight to my rural American viewers for a second. Be a little more dubious whenever those people tell you, oh, it's fine where you are, don't worry about it. Meanwhile, they live somewhere else. And since most voters believe climate change is real, but keep electing politicians who refuse to do anything about it, also be a little more skeptical about the other stuff they use to get your votes. For example, hunters. Does it really make sense to vote for a politician who's going to protect your rifles if his policies are also going to poison the stream Bambi drinks from?