St John’s Society Green Conversations September 2025
INFO WARS: How Do We Regain Trust?
The Brookmill – 7.30pm – 15th September 2025
This Green Conversations event asks how we should respond when powerful interests misinform our debates around the climate emergency.
We all experience greenwashing by corporations, lobbyists and their politicians. And most of us know that social media algorithms distort the facts. If all accept these processes as normal and legitimate this will reduce society’s ability to manage its affairs appropriately. This forthcoming evening at the Brookmill promises to challenge the status quo in a way that is pleasant, accessible and non-technical.
But these are stupendous issues. If the President of the most powerful nation unashamedly ignores facts and scientific evidence then overrides international laws – how might this affect the political world order? Will these attitudes percolate down and contaminate the local relationships between ordinary people?
We are now in a murky era of deep fakes and AI-driven warfare. Is the very concept of misinformation outmoded? Our three experts will guide us through some of these issues.
We are privileged to have three experts with backgrounds in journalism to lead the discussion:
DR RASHMEE ROSHAN LALL
If Trump’s disregard for truth, evidence, science and the law change the facts on the ground, how will this influence our behaviour? Will the concept of misinformation become redundant? An academic, Dr. Lall was editor of The Sunday Times of India, and BBC World Service presenter.
STEVE TOOZE
As a journalist for The Sun, Mail & News of the World, Steve saw how billionaire media tycoons reduced our ability to maintain a liveable planet. By gathering evidence of climate disinformation for the World Environmental Crime Unit he expects culprits to face future ecocide prosecution.
DOROTHY STEIN
Currently ‘Big Tech’ owns social media. Its algorithms often supercharge misinformation about renewables etc. Dorothy co-founded the reader-owned newspaper Salamander News. By delivering ethical, fact-based reporting it helps local communities to face the climate crisis.
We hope you can join us. Please sign up on the Eventrbrite page, and donate what you can, or please feel free to donate on the evening. Everything helps keep these events going!
