Singer-songwriter Carole King spoke out against climate change on Thursday’s Morning Joe, adding her name to the list of politicians and activists speaking out on global warming in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
“This is climate change calling to say ‘hello, you should have been talking about me!” the singer-songwriter said. “There is a reason why people aren’t talking about it in politics, because the oil companies basically don’t want people talking about it.”
King isn’t the only big name voicing concern about the so-called 'new norm' storms.
“Anyone who says there’s not a dramatic change in weather patterns is denying reality,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference yesterday. "For us to say this is once-in-a-generation, that it's not going to happen again, as elected officials that would be short-sighted. This city, this region, is very susceptible to coastal flooding. Part of learning from this is learning that climate change is a reality."
Sandy is the third storm in recent months to debilitate the East Coast, with a freak snow storm hitting the Northeast one year ago and Hurricane Irene hitting 14 months ago.
Ben Strauss, a scientist from Climate Central, said he believes climate change is a factor in the changing weather patterns on NBC.
“We’re seeing more and more extreme weather events leading to greater and greater economic damages,” Strauss said. “I’m very suspicious that climate change is an important player for many of these.”
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Big oil’s influence and lobbying has kept climate change out of the political conversation, King said on Morning Joe. “American people need to be aware that there is a commercial interest that is fighting to hold on to us not addressing problem that that interest is causing.”