BAD NEWS FOR “HAIRSHIRT ENVIRONMENTALISM:” Berkeley: Dire messages about global warming can backfire, new study shows. “Dire or emotionally charged warnings about the consequences of global warming can backfire if presented too negatively, making people less amenable to reducing their carbon footprint, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.”

Hey, here’s an idea: How about leading by example instead? You first, Tom Friedman.