So it’s Earth Day, our yearly reminder of the fragility of our collective home. But of course these reminders no longer come in annual increments. Daily, moment to moment, we see reports put in stark relief the perilousness of our current course.
To get the conversation started, I thought it might be interesting to look back to my own thoughts from the past. This was two years ago…
Now in 2021, we are still in the midst of a global deadly pandemic. I would have hoped that we would have learned a bit of humility about the limits of our power to bend nature to our will. Sadly, too many have not. There are several lessons from public health that are also strongly repeated in our climate crisis. Ignore science at our peril. The dangers of wishful thinking. The importance of planning, resilience, and empathy.
For all the despair, however, there are many signs of hope. The Biden Administration seems to be putting climate change and the environment at the center of its policies, from transportation and housing, to national security, to the general economy. A new generation of leaders is rising up to demand action. Industry is at least starting to say the right things. Even mine workers are now supporting Biden’s green energy policies.
So the question is, on this Earth Day, how do YOU feel about the direction we are heading in? Do you feel more hope or more despair? Do you believe we have turned a corner of innovation and action or will the forces of denial and cynicism win out?
Some ground rules for these Wednesday chats (and also the comments sections on other posts):
I want a space where people feel safe to express their views, as long as they are offered in good faith.
I want a space where ideas can be challenged, especially my own.
I want debate. But I want it to be civil.
I want people to come here with open minds, and open hearts.
I want this to be fun as well as serious.
We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
Earth Day... How are You Feeling?
Earth Day... How are You Feeling?
Earth Day... How are You Feeling?
So it’s Earth Day, our yearly reminder of the fragility of our collective home. But of course these reminders no longer come in annual increments. Daily, moment to moment, we see reports put in stark relief the perilousness of our current course.
To get the conversation started, I thought it might be interesting to look back to my own thoughts from the past. This was two years ago…
And this is what I said last year…
Now in 2021, we are still in the midst of a global deadly pandemic. I would have hoped that we would have learned a bit of humility about the limits of our power to bend nature to our will. Sadly, too many have not. There are several lessons from public health that are also strongly repeated in our climate crisis. Ignore science at our peril. The dangers of wishful thinking. The importance of planning, resilience, and empathy.
For all the despair, however, there are many signs of hope. The Biden Administration seems to be putting climate change and the environment at the center of its policies, from transportation and housing, to national security, to the general economy. A new generation of leaders is rising up to demand action. Industry is at least starting to say the right things. Even mine workers are now supporting Biden’s green energy policies.
So the question is, on this Earth Day, how do YOU feel about the direction we are heading in? Do you feel more hope or more despair? Do you believe we have turned a corner of innovation and action or will the forces of denial and cynicism win out?
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