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Send a Bay Area question about climate change to KQED’s science reporters. End of this article.
It’s getting hotter. It’s getting smokier. It’s getting scarier.
California’s extreme droughts, heat waves and wildfires It is likely to get worse in the coming decades and longer if we don’t get our act together.
The Concentration of carbon dioxide at the surface is greater than any time in at least the past Three million yearsThe world has warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius), since 1800.
People of color will continue to be The health and environmental effects of climate change are disproportionately affecting the lives of people who are most vulnerable.According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
It is difficult to take it all in. But here’s something that makes it easier: there is still time to act.
Start now to reduce emissions in a bold and rapid manner Limiting climate change would be a good idea. Its effects.
We choose the future that we want. The future that we can identify, with limited warming, will require coordination across countries, states, communities and communities.
While limiting warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) would be “very difficult, requiring immediate, top-level government attention and effort,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton environmental scientist and editor of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change review, it’s “not impossible.”
Even if we don’t meet those goals, Oppenheimer said, “there’s no end-of-the-world point where you give up.” Every tenth of a degree matters.
That’s where you come in. In the U.N.’s Climate Science Conference, climate scientists made it clear The most recent report that warming is a “code red for humanity,” according to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
This piece is for those who want to respond, but don’t know where to begin.
All of us
Maybe you think we’re in two camps here in California: those who believe in climate change and those who don’t. Researchers give us more nuance, however.
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication divides Americans into six groups: from those deeply concerned about global warming and supportive of policies (“Alarmed”), to those who view it as a hoax (“Dismissive”).
More than half the population of the U.S. fall into the “Alarmed” or “Concerned” categories. This means they’re engaged in this issue and ready to act.
Most of these folks don’t know what to do with that worry, though, or how to take meaningful action on climate.
Let’s feel some feelings
Longtime Bay Area residents will recall a time when the weather didn’t Whiplash – From streets that are bone dry to streets that are floodedThe skies were choked with wildfire smoke and the average fall temperature was cooler.by 3 degrees Fahrenheit in San FranciscoTo be exact. If you’re a recent Bay Area transplant, I imagine you can think of similar changes wherever you hail from.
The climate crisis is a time to grieve the planet we grew-up with. This means that you will have to accept your painful emotions.
Normal, healthy responses to serious risks include sadness, despair, anger, and powerlessness.
Robin Cooper, a San Francisco-based therapist who founded the Therapists, stated that “We are biologically wired for anxiety to respond to real threats.” Climate Psychiatry Alliance.
Resisting these feelings is normal too — it’s a means of protecting ourselves. However, denying the crisis and burying our heads in sand will lead to the same results. Take breaks, but face the truth. It becomes easier to face the problem than to hide from it.
Let yourself feel it. There are losses that we cannot reverse. There will be many more.
You can move on from the hard emotions by feeling them. That doesn’t mean you’re free of them — you aren’t, but pushing them down won’t help you move into action.
Here are some methods to process your emotions.
- Connect with others Talk with friends and family, or more formal with a therapist (there is a growing network of therapists). psychiatristsAnd psychologists(or with a specific training program on climate change). Bereavement Groups.
- Connect with your body Walking, running, yoga or any other type of exercise that you enjoy.
- Connect with nature Renee Lertzman is an environmental psychologist who said that being outside in nature is both relaxing and reminds her of the reason she does this. I’m continually amazed by how incredible life is.”
There are many other possibilities. ArticlesBooks, and podcastsThese emotions can also be dealt with.
Imagine the future you desire
It’s inspiring to envision a Bay Area less dependent on fossil fuels, with cleaner air, more predictable weather cycles, and a booming green jobs industry.
Low-income communities, and communities of color, are more affected than others by pollution from fossil fuels. They are most affected in areas close to freeways, industry, and East and West Oakland.
Oxfam studies show that the carbon pollution caused by the poorest half of Americans is far lower than those who are richer. than the average American — about half. Cleaning up our climate is an act of equity.
It would save lives to reduce the use of fossil fuels. California’s air regulator estimates that We see 7200 premature deaths every year due to air pollutionEspecially from diesel exhaust-related pollution.
Globally, the pollution caused by fossil fuels is responsible for a large portion of global air pollution. 8.7 million deaths annuallyShaking out to more than 10% of U.S. deaths (deaths by COVID-19 stand at Nearly 5 Million People globally since the start of the pandemic).
The average life expectancy would go up by More than one yearA world without fossil fuel emissions
It is possible to switch from gas appliances such as stoves to electric ones. Indoor air quality is improvedThis could reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adults, and asthma in children.
Many of us experienced this during the pandemic. Converting streets into places where people can gather has brought joy. We’ve seen this around the Bay Area with slow streets and increased outdoor dining. This could become the norm in cities if they create a more pedestrian-friendly and bikeable infrastructure.
Climate action could be a boon in green jobs such as those installing solar panels or restoring wetlands.
And climate change could have significant impacts on our mental health. That’s because the antidote to climate anxiety (a term that’s seen an uptick of Google searches By 565% in one yearAction is a verb.
Act
To take action on climate change, you don’t have to be anything you aren’t. The problem is huge, but the good news is that there are endless ways to get involved.
Kim Nicholas, climate scientist says it is important to consider where you spend your most time and where energy you are getting right now. Start there. Ask yourself, “how is it that we as a family, as a business, [or]Are you a neighbor that is affecting the climate? What is it that we can do?”
While climate activists debate whether they should push people to organize for systemic or individual change, they generally agree that both are necessary. The greatest reductions in carbon emissions will come from systems that need to be transformed. But individual changes — especially in rich countries like the U.S. — are important, too.
System-level action
Find a group that is right for youBill McKibben, a climate journalist and organizer, says that the most powerful thing an person can do is to change the world. to be less of an individual. Your voice will be more powerful with others, and it’s more fun and hopeful to tackle this challenge together. There’s no shortage of groups of people concerned about the climate and taking meaningful action.
There are several groups. skiers, nurses, Artists, Political conservatives, Grandmothers, Hunting, National security concerns. Check out the range. These groups can help you advocate for more systemic change.
Vote for climate candidates Politicians must take bolder, quicker actions to address the climate crisis.
ResearchShows the top-ranked representatives in the election League of Conservation Voters National Environmental Scorecard significantly reduced a state’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Voting in female politicians is linked with stronger climate policies and lower emissions, and could be an underutilized tool.
Contact your representatives: To voice your concerns, call your state, local, or federal representative. Sure, there are other ways to get in touch too, like email and snail mail, but activists and lawmakers say the best way to grab a staffer’s attention is to call and not email, The New York Times reports.
If your representatives already believe in your beliefs, you can thank them for their efforts.
Individual action
While the numbers show that minimizing your carbon footprint won’t get us where we need to go on greenhouse gas reductions alone, “If you live in a rich country, and especially the richer you are, your individual actions really matter,” sustainability scientist Kimberly Nicholas writes in her book “Under the Sky We Make.”
Personal climate actions like skipping drives and flights matter in both reducing carbon, and in changing the perception of a wealthy American ideal — using excessive carbon — that’s quickly getting exported.
It becomes more appealing for politicians and companies when social norms are being changed. Research showsTo create a norm shift, 25% of the population is required.
These are the actions that have the greatest impact. This means you can spend your time wisely and your brain capacity wisely. However, there are plenty of worthwhile things to do.
Talk about climate change While the majority of Americans are worried about climate change, most people don’t talk about it, even if they’d like to, says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of Yale’s climate communication program. He said that by avoiding the topic, we don’t signal how important it is to our lives.
Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist, has had thousands upon thousands of conversations about the topic of climate change. A good way to start a discussion is to start with what you are passionate about, such as your kids or the environment.), connect that passion with climate change (climate change affects everything, so luckily that’s not hard), and then discuss what’s at stake for what you love, and some solutions that are at work locally.
You can also talk about what you’re doing about climate change (no self-righteousness please though, that won’t help your cause). Many people are making changes in their lives due to the climate crisis. Sharing that information could help contribute to societal shifts. There are Tools to assistYour company, community, or place for worship can collaborate, or even rival one another.
Yale’s climate change communication program offers tips How to have meaningful conversationsListen to the video to hear how conversations between a father and son made him a Republican U.S. Rep. Conservative climate champion.
Drive less: The majority of California’s greenhouse gas emissions Come from transportationFor the average American household, gasoline for personal vehicles is approximately $70 This is the largest source of emission.
Long car trips are the main source of emissions.
It is possible to reduce the amount of gas car travel, but it can be difficult depending on where you live. (This is one place where changing the system comes into play — working for better bus, train, biking and walking routes would make our cities and towns more friendly to ditching cars.)
However, reducing emissions from car trips is important, regardless of whether you have no car, take public transit more or switch to an electric or hybrid car.
Additionally, biking and walking offer many benefits that are both physical and psychological.
Fly less Only 1% of people are responsible Half of the emissions are from air travel. Approximately 5% of carbon dioxide emissions from flights is emitted by aircraft. 2.4% of global total greenhouse gas emissionsIf you are part of that select group of people who fly a lot, then reducing your flights will have a significant impact on carbon emissions.
Eliminate flights that aren’t essential, and if you’re a frequent flyer, set a goal to cut flights in half, or down to a few per year.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a time when air travel was reduced. This is how less flying looks like.
Plant-based diets are recommended: About 80% of the world’s land is used for food production and food for animals. 24% of global emissions. Methane is produced by cow, sheep, or goat burps and their manure. Nitrous oxide is also released from fertilizers. Some carbon dioxide is also produced by plowing and razing forest. Globally, deforestation also has a significant impact. The main cause of the biodiversity crisis is climate change.
Beef requires more resources than other foods. Producing beef requires a lot of resources.22 times more land, emits 62x as many greenhouse gases per gram of protein than plant proteins like beans.
A reduction of 1.5 burgers per week for meat-eaters around the world would almost eliminate the need to expand agriculture. Even with a global population exceeding 10 billion
The average American Three burgers per week.
Green your home: The amount of energy we use in the homes we live in is the Second-biggest source for emissions for the average American. You can make this a reality by installing efficient windows and solar panels, as well as improving insulation. When your biggest energy hogs are due to be replaced, you can choose a more efficient option: upgrade your water heater and swap out your natural gas furnace with an electric heatpump.
Many of these changes aren’t achievable as a renter, but you can This should be brought up with the property ownerDepending on where you are located, there may be. ProgramsThey can also be used to help with incentives.
Your climate Venn diagram: In the podcast “How to Save a Planet,” host and marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson suggests one way to find your space in climate action: a Venn diagram.
Grab your paper.
What are your strengths? “What skills, resources, networks, reach, influence are you bringing to the table?” she asked.
What is the work required? There are so many options for dealing with the crisis.
What brings you joy? “What gets you out of bed in the morning? Because this is the work of our lifetime,” Johnson said.
Your job is simply to keep moving forward with what you have identified as the center of those circles.
Active hope It is not enough to hope for the climate. You need to go about your day.
It’s a practice, say climate activist Joanna Macy and psychologist Dr. Chris Johnstone in their book “Active Hope.” This kind of hope requires taking stock of your painful reality and identifying the changes you wish to see. Then, you can begin to make them.
Doing these things will bring us closer with others doing the exact same. Hope and action lead to more of this.
Yes, climate change is here. Yes, it’s bad.
