We have gone from Global Warming to Climate Change to Climate Emergency in the last couple of years. Of course, there are those who have been pointing to this future, as we went about our business happily hoping some magic technology fix would occur so that we wouldn't have to change. Unfortunately, nature doesn't work that way. We are learning by our mistakes that nature can be inflexible at times. Warm up the atmosphere and you will warm up the oceans. Warm up the oceans and you will melt the polar ice caps, create massive storms unpredictable in scope and location. Warm up the climate and you will ensure massive extinctions, that may include ourselves.
I have been raising butterflies for three years. The first year, I had over 100 monarch butterflies hatch from their chrysalides. Last year, although milkweed was plentiful, I only raised 20. This year, so far, I have raised one swallowtail and two monarchs. Was it the very wet June that drowned several of my dahlia, or the drought since then that killed my milkweed? I can only hope this is not occurring species-wide. I think it was the insecticide my association felt compelled to spray on the lawn because people don't want to have lawns that look "bad" from insects.
How do you reach people who are blind to what is occuring? The media has picked up on this topic and we are now deluged with ideas every day. I began this year choosing one topic and writing on it, but I am overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. My need for constant stimulation doesn't help much. I listen to public radio and watch the news every day. I think the most promising news is that we as a species have realized we are on schedule for disaster after disaster until we solve some of the problems.
Most pressing, of course, is the carbon in the atmosphere. It was startling to see how clean the air became with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. People stayed home for weeks, traffic was negligible and the skies were blue over Chicago. So, our modes of transportation have been the first to be changed. Electric cars will be a reality in a few years (what will we do with all those batteries?) and buses have already gone electric in half a dozen cities.
Companies are also beginning to find ways to capture carbon from the atmosphere. Today, Iceland opened the world's largest carbon capture plant. (1) It will capture 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the air, the equivalent of 870 cars. If we can create these plants all over the world, they will have an impact.
Solar and wind power continue to increase in use. Governments all over the world are making commitments to improve mitigation efforts. The United Nations has made climate action a Sustainable Development Goal (#13) . In fact, the United Nations has the most extensive list of resources I have seen on the Web. (2) It is understandable that the governing body of the world would have the broadest view of the effects of each country on the environment.
I have more hope now than I have ever had. Those that are fighting this change will soon be outnumbered and hopefully the governments will take note.
(1) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/09/worlds-biggest-plant-to-turn-carbon-dioxide-into-rock-opens-in-iceland-orca . Accessed 9/24/21
(2) https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ . Accessed 9/24/21
No comments:
Post a Comment