Science should be the ballast for the political ‘left’ and ‘right’.

For me being a greenie, hippie, for conservation and sustainability has never been about locking things away or abandoning our technology and advancements to live like the dark ages. Our society makes pariahs out of people who seek to improve the economy and the environment at the same time. Many who are comfortable with the status quo will argue the two things are mutually exclusive. You can’t seek to improve the economy and the environment at the same time.

But why not?

I am a scientist, and I see that the world around us is what we make of it, so much so that we have entered the era of the Anthropocene. Humans have etched themselves into the geological record by fundamentally influencing the global ecosystem. We all know why, whether you choose to acknowledge climate change, and the pollution of natural environments or remain ignorant of it. Science has brought us far from its inception, we have marvelled in its success and relished in the technology it has provided. Yet we show immense disrespect to the people who make discoveries.

Why is this?

I feel that scientists, and much of the work they do, are rejected by the public because it fails to fit with the way they see the world. Before 500 B.C. people were convinced the world was flat. Because that is what they saw and scientists and philosophers who proposed otherwise were probably just huffing drugs. There are many examples of this in history, (the earth is the centre of the universe) and yet it repeats.

To help rationalise where science sits in society I will use the terms political terms ‘left’ and ‘right’. These terms are always given further perspective by the 'centre', and where the 'centre' in Australian society is located is of great debate. Disregarding our preconceived notions for where the left and right are, the centre should be a place of moderation. A location where, without bias; ideas, policy, and beliefs which have been rigorously researched, tested and debated reside.

The ‘centre’ is place which should be defined by science.

A place which is tested by people from the ‘left’ and ‘right’, and yet whether we like it or not, holds the most rational theories for society to operate. Yet the position of science in the current political landscape is likely situated on the moderate ‘left’. And from here the two major conservative parties appear to be on the extreme ‘right’. Perhaps it is because of my scientific perspective from the immense field of biological sciences that give me this perspective.

Therefore as a scientist who is seen by the perspective of the ‘right’ as extreme ‘left’, a greenie, a conservationist, a sustainability nut who wants to retard the economy back to trading grain instead of money. I have no doubt this is how the majority of left-leaning Australians view scientists. However, this perspective is far from the truth for myself and many others who share similar opinions.

Through science, we can build the economy, improve the standard of living, provide jobs, while protecting the environment so it is there for all of life on the planet may thrive. The world is what we make of it, so let's make it clean, green and abundant with life by listening to and embracing science. Otherwise by rejecting science and refusing to progress we paralyse society and the economy.