Bill Nye the “Science Guy” was paid a handsome speaking fee to tell Rutgers University students to dismiss those who would question the consensus on man-made global warming.
Nye, who gave the commencement speech at Rutgers over the weekend, told graduates to “challenge those who dismiss climate change,” according to NJ.com. Nye also reportedly said the “scientific consensus on climate change is as strong as the consensus that smoking causes cancer.”
“Climate change is a real deal,” Nye told students in his speech. “So, hey deniers — cut it out, and let’s get to work.”
Rutgers paid Nye $35,000 to speak at this year’s graduation at its New Brunswick campus. Nye was also given an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the ceremony — which means he’s an actual scientist now, or something.
But the university may consider Nye’s speech money well spent since students raved about it, NJ.com repored. Students chanted his name before his speech, and were taken by his call for them to solve global warming.
“It’s a heavy topic, but it’s something that was necessary to address,” Jesse Bagley, who earned a degree in science and biomedical engineering, told NJ.com. “He’s right. We all have an opportunity to make a choice as far as that goes, so it was something that we needed to hear.”
“I learned from Bill Nye probably more than any other science class because he is so awesome, and I was was so excited to see him speak today,” echoed Michael Bruchert, who got a journalism and media degree.
Nye has been a major critic of those who are skeptical of man-made global warming. For Earth Day, Nye flew with President Barack Obama on Air Force One to Florida’s Everglades to highlight how global warming was damaging such environments.
Ironically, Nye’s Air Force One trip emitted the same amount of carbon dioxide as 17 passenger vehicles would in an entire year — more than 9,000 gallons of gasoline.
