Churchill defined a fanatic as someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject, and when it comes to climate change, the competition for chief climate fanatic (and hence a Green Weenie Award) is fierce. NASA’s egregious James Hansen would have to be a favorite for a perpetual, Lifetime Achievement Green Weenie, but the PLGWA Committee has decided that Bill McKibben outdoes even Hansen.
McKibben is billed as “scholar in residence at Middlebury College,” which description I presume means he doesn’t actually teach many courses at the tony private college that is known for being the most expensive in the nation (current tuition and room & board: $55,570. Textbooks another $1,000). His bio lists lots of honorary degrees from honorable places, but makes no mention of any advanced degree in any field that would qualify him to teach regularly in the classroom. From the online catalogue, it appears that he occasionally teaches a seminar, but most of the Middlebury environmental studies curriculum appears to be activist propaganda rather than a serious course of study. Course titles include “Environmental Justice,” “Corporate Social Responsibility,” “Sustainable Television,” “Class and the Environment” (which seems to be merely “Environmental Justice” by a different title—why not just title it in French?), and “Youth Climate Movement.” The only course it appears McKibben has taught recently is ENVS0340, “Social Movements,” which isn’t about the environment at all, but appears to be just community organizing by a different name. In other words, McKibben has a nice cozy sinecure, from which he gets to pontificate and organize green activism, such as leading the White House protests last fall to block the Keystone XL pipeline temporarily.
You conspicuously failed to mention McKibben’s Bachelors degree from Harvard University and his numerous published books. Middlebury is not the most expensive college in the land, but you appear not to let the facts prevent you from saying things.
Actually Matthew, we only pointed to what was published elsewhere but if I was inclined to bother commenting about ol’ demented drubbin it wouldn’t have been by omission.
I believe he was clear in saying that McKibben had no ADVANCED degrees, one of which is usually required to teach college courses.
I think it was Steven Hayward that said these things. You need to track down the original location and tell him how a bachelor’s degree would now give McKibben the credentials he needs. You can also point out the colleges that cost more. Those two tidbits would certainly change the meaning and veracity of the article.
An advanced degree is generally considered the union card showing ability to conduct scholarly work. I know folks who have a lifetime of achievement and/or can run rings around Ph. D.’s. McKibben has a Bachelor’s in Journalism from Harvard and a lifetime achievement in environmental activism. This makes him fully qualified to teach activism. The taste of his writings I’ve had leave me the impression he is qualified for little else.