In Case You Missed It – This Week’s News
The world is on lockdown. So where are all the carbon emissions coming from?
Favorite Quote:
Okay, we have two for this one…
“A 5.5-percent drop in carbon dioxide emissions would still be the largest yearly change on record, beating out the financial crisis of 2008 and World War II. But it’s worth wondering: Where do all of those emissions come from? And if stopping most travel and transport isn’t enough to slow down climate change, what will be?”
“‘I think the main issue is that people focus way, way too much on people’s personal footprints, and whether they fly or not, without really dealing with the structural things that really cause carbon dioxide levels to go up,’ said Gavin Schmidt, a climatologist and the director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City.”
Our Takeaway:
Yes, individual actions add up – that’s why every vote and call or email to your representative counts, but it’s also undeniable that our individual choices aren’t enough to reduce emissions levels enough to combat the worst impacts of climate change. We need the biggest polluters to own up and start cutting their footprint by drastic levels.
Renewable energy topped coal in US for 40 days straight
Favorite Quote:
“Wind, solar and hydroelectricity have produced more electricity than coal since March 25, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration analyzed by the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA). That tops the previous record of just nine consecutive days of renewables beating out coal in power generation.”
Our Takeaway:
It’s important to look toward renewables as solutions! If you want to learn more, check out our Outdoor State of Mind Series recording with Bay.wa r.e. Solar Projects CEO Jam Attari and endurance athlete Joe Grant.
EMOTIONS SECTION
How to Combat Climate Depression
Favorite Quote:
“The only way to combat this kind of depression may also be the only way to combat the Depression now threatening our economy: an all-encompassing, society-wide effort to build out renewable energy, retrofit houses and offices for energy efficiency, and safeguard and nurture our remaining working ecosystems. If we don’t do it fast, then the gloom of young people will be justified—and it’s hard to think of a more powerful indictment of older generations than that.”
Our Takeaway:
It’s hard not to feel like you’re in a constant sinkhole of bad news. We feel it too. But you’re not alone, and there are tons of other people working with us to work against climate change. Rally with those people, make a plan, take action and try to educate others along the way. Action is ALWAYS better than inaction.
It’s Hard To Think About Climate Change During A Pandemic. Here’s How To Stay Engaged
Favorite Quote:
“Another classic: denying that the problem is happening or believing that a silver-bullet solution will save us all.”
Our Takeaway:
It may be hard for you or someone you know to take in all the information about climate change, but it’s important to understand your emotions around the issue, and determine what you can bring to the table, and how you want to use your voice.
NEED TO KNOW TOPICS
Billions Could Live in Extreme Heat Zones Within Decades, Study Finds
Favorite Quote:
“And it turns out that if climate change remains on the current track, then a lot more will change in the coming 50 years than have changed in the past 6,000.
‘It’s a kind of no-go area to talk about climate migration,’ Dr. Scheffer said. But the possibility that hundreds of millions of people may be forced to move to cooler areas means that society ‘needs to think about how we can accommodate as much as we can.”
Our Takeaway:
It’s important to underline 1,000 times over that environmental change doesn’t just lead to economic impacts, but dramatic social and political impacts as well. Climate justice has to be an important consideration in any decisions a country or continent makes. Want to learn some of the basics of environmental and climate justice? Check out the NAACP’s page here.
Environmental Rollbacks
Favorite Quote:
“The bulk of the rollbacks identified by the Times have been carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency, which repealed and replaced the Obama-era emissions rules for power plants and vehicles; weakened protections for more than half the nation’s wetlands; and withdrew the legal justification for restricting mercury emissions from power plants.”
Our Takeaway:
The governmental group that quite literally has PROTECTION in its name (the EPA), is doing the opposite, and it’s messed up. This is a must-read.
