No. We’re not doomed. Weather is changing – and everything that depends on weather is going to change one way or another. Can you think of anything that is not weather dependent? I can’t.
About climate science. It’s real and it’s solid. Here’s a test: If you “believe” in airplanes, and if you “believe” in refrigerators, then you “believe” in climate science. The science that lets airplanes fly and gives us refrigeration is basic, and lets us understand why climate is changing and also understand what we can do to take advantage of the change!
Climate change is a oncein- a-lifetime chance to completely move away from century- old methods and really take advantage of exploding innovation. We can literally design the future we want to have. It’s not about getting by. It’s not about doing without. As Amory Lovins (Rocky Mountain Institute) put it: we can have hot showers and cold beer – meaning we can have a better future life by being smart about the transitions. Renewable energy; a smart power grid to move power to where it is needed. Energy efficient dwellings. Energy efficient, optimized industrial operations. Millions of new jobs. Smarter transportation. Startling innovations in agriculture increasing productivity. Redesigning communities for walkability, embedded shopping and entertainment, readily available education and healthcare services and recreation. We can have a cleaner, quieter, healthier, vastly more equitable future that benefits everyone.
Yes. Of course. These visionary transitions will cost money, but the cost of doing nothing would cost vastly more and literally kill millions of people worldwide. Change frightens many people and this leads to thinking only of keeping what we have. Steam train operators resisted diesel. Whale-oil industry opposed kerosene. Worse is the well-funded, well organized opposition from the fossil fuel industry worldwide who have known about the climate issue for decades and who continue to mislead the public and fund intense lobbying among lawmakers. They make billions of dollars keeping us addicted to their products.
This is what we can do as citizens, parents, grandparents to leave a better world to the future: Educate yourself about climate basics from reliable sources. – science.nasa.gov/ climate-change/ – Katharine Hayhoe “Global Weirding” series on YouTube Challenge your elected officials on climate issues.
Talk to your neighbors, your friends about climate concerns.
Attend meetings and use the comment periods to inform and challenge your town council, your schools, your utility providers on climate.
Support and vote for candidates interested in climate issues.
It’s on us to keep our leaders and representatives alerted and sensitive to climate risks (doing nothing or doing the wrong things) and the real opportunities presented by climate disruptions to what we used to think of as “normal” life. We have this one shot. Please join us in this all-hands-on-deck movement for a better life for everyone
