Hello my friends. I know, right. Another aside?! What now? Who's dying? Spoiler alert: the earth is not so much dying as it is degrading. The UN just released their climate report for 2022. Boy howdy. It's bleak, I won't lie to you. Below is an average temperature report for the globe. Keep in mind, the average might not seem that bad, but extreme places (the antarctic, Greenland, arctic circle) are experiencing wayyy warmer temperatures than the rest of the world. (i.e. melting) This is gonna cause actual catastrophe throughout the world. Extreme weather events, agricultural loss, overall doom and gloom. That's why our solidarity on this issue must be super strong.
Not to put you on edge (but to make you feel a little sense of urgency), according to the report to keep global warming at a toasty 1.5 degrees Celsius, we have to cap unsustainable energy consumption by 2025. That's an incredibly short deadline. However, there's a lot you can do! (For more stuff you can do in your personal home check out my last aside.)
We have a wonderful opportunity here to band together and be a hero to the Earth. So, the easiest thing to do. Literally from your desktop if you'd like. Is to invest. I've looked around. And these 5 are the best, most bang for your buck, organizations:
WWF
Greenpeace
Earth Island Institute
Rainforest Action Network
Alright, but wait, there's more. (As always)
Becoming friends of the earth is hard when we have nothing to go off of. This whole climate issue is uncharted, unresearched, and kind of overwhelming. But, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Changing our mentality towards what the Earth IS to us is a wonderful first step down the path. For a long time the Earth has been seen in the context of land, profit, and basically what it can give HUMANS. (that's rooted in historical biases and colonization). Well, we can break out of that mindset and instead consider what WE can give the EARTH. This brings us to a fun conclusion. Who in the past has viewed the Earth in this way. Fun Fact: most non-european societies. ESPECIALLY, Native Americans. I recommend the books:
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It's a beautiful narrative on native stewardship set in the context of anecdotes about the author's life.
"Dark Emu" by Bruce Pascoe. It's a story on how aboriginal Australians managed their lands, many see it as a guide to how to restore Australia's landscapes.
"As Long as Grass Grows" by Dina Gilio-Whitaker. It's a commentary on how indigenous people have long resisted environmental degradation, and it also talks about how WE can change ourselves to be better activists.
The road is a rocky one for us. But, if we change our hearts and minds, we will change our actions. And a world united is a downright powerful thing. Education, activism, and love are the best leaders we got. Anyways. Rant over. Please be kind to the Earth.
Comments