We have allowed greed to bring this earth to the brink of destruction. Maybe we need to consume only what we need and use renewable resources to make the things we need. We make plastics out of crude oil which is a nonrenewable resource. Maybe we need to make materials out of resources that can be renewed. Fossil fuel consumption is widely blamed for our climate catastrophe.
Let’s all remember who is at the very beginning of our food supplies, farm workers who are dropping dead on the job from lack of adequate water and from heat stroke as well as chronic kidney problems..the list goes one. One thing we can all do is contribute to the United Farm Workers Union so they can purchase the political power to save their members. This is also a form of slavery, by the way. Dan, thanks for yet another great piece of writing. Too bad you are preaching to the choir!!
Thanks Dan. As an octogenarian I often think of my carefree childhood summers in New York City with no social media or video games, warm balmy weather, no homework but plenty of imagination, sharing ideas for outdoor games and, when each of us could scrounge up 25 cents for an”air cooled” movie on a really hot day. I grieve for children today who will be robbed of this due to a too big group of people beholden to the folks who will lose money if we take climate change seriously. What’s climate change? Just ultimately the end of the world as we know it.
As always, I truly enjoy the meaningful, thoughtful way that you draw read ers in. I can always envision the places you describe while also substituting my current surroundings with ease. You are truly a beacon of light!
This reminds me of growing up on Miami Beach before it was completely developed, running around in the sand lots between buildings. I live in Maryland now, and the heat and humidity is too overwhelming for someone within a year of 80. I finally bought a treadmill, so I could walk indoors away from the elements. Now the doctor says I must use a cane to walk, so I'm planning to trade the treadmill in for a recumbent stationary bike.
Wish you would run for Office, I would Vote for you in a heart beat and I’m a Republican . Lol. Liberal my ass your a wise ole sage who doesn’t shade the truth.
It amazes me that the media for the most part has continued to sugarcoat the insane weather patterns over the past decade as an aberration. No one seems to have the courage to say, "The climate crisis is not "coming", it is here!" The weather is not going to change. This is as you say, Mr. Rather, "the new normal". The C02 levels in the atmosphere are not going to dissipate. From what I've read and understand, even if we reduce C02 emissions to zero, the best we can hope for is to not make our climate worse.
A peak year boomer, I grew up in Houston splashing in pools all summer, taking trips to Camp Warneke on the Comal River, the aptly named Frio River, and sailing/water skiing giant Lake Travis. As a n adult on the Gulf Coast, I fondly remember summer evenings in Galveston flying and staking colorful Chinese kites. Lounging on the sand watching the sun go down was perfect. I really enjoyed your epic Galveston 4th of July story! Most summers growing up my family returned to the cold lakes and rivers of our native California. In California we never encountered the smoke or broiling temps experienced now. I moved back to Northern California in 2009 increasingly afraid Houston was unsustainable with climate change. Unsurprisingly, no where is really “safe” anymore. We are broiling again today with triple digits. In California, I have experienced truly frightening wildfire smoke. We are looking to buy an EV vehicle, try to keep our energy consumption low (overnight cool temps allow air cooling with fans most of the day). We work out at a/c conditioned senior classes at a gym. Thank goodness for blockbuster movies (Barbenheimet) to gather in chilly afternoon comfort. An advantage of California, over Houston is the short drive to cool summer temps. The month of August the cats and I will be at a fresh air coastal cottage. Long bluff walks by the Pacific promise cheer to any climate battered soul.
Why not give Texas a rest for a little while? It is embarrassing to say how beautiful it is here in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Last night it was about 70 degrees. We were gathered at an annual event at a friend’s farm . From that vantage point ,looking over meadows and mountains high above the rushing stream ,there was a moment of rain drops followed ,immediately ,by a Double Rainbow🌈🌈! So auspicious! So beautiful! There is hope!
Everyone gathered there has their heart in the climate movement. All doing whatever we can. So, consider a move from the heart of Texas to a place such as the above where mountains and streams and rainbows will keep Your heart stronger ,for longer ,to fight for this planet and relief from this heat for all!
We need to stay Cool to Stay Steady for the work we need to do.
I’m on vacation in El Salvador at the moment. I live in California. It’s supposed to be the rainy season. However, I have hardly seen any rain in the two weeks I have been here. People here keep telling me it’s been this way before I got here. This whole region is abundant with plants that help clean the world’s atmosphere. Most people up north may not think about this region, but they should. I traveled to Guatemala last weekend and the same weather issue is happening there. What else is happening is a lot of traffic and carbon monoxide pollution coming off from vehicles. Neither country has organized, safe, and reliable public transportation for its working population many of whom don’t have the luxury of being able to work remotely so they drive to work in cars or motorcycles or in extremely crowded buses or on the back of pickup trucks to get to and from work. Both countries don’t have or don’t enforce fuel emission requirements so black smoke covers the roads in a dark haze every day. We need to include other countries such as these in global climate change discussions and plans.
Our problem in America(one of the problems) is that we have built malls without any concern for our environment. We have one of the most beautiful pieces of the planet and we have covered it with ugly, ugly malls.
To comment on one of last week’s Substack...I read in that “little paper 📄 up north, NYT) that the President of Texas A&M resigned immediately yesterday citing, as her reason, the handling of the Dr. Kathleen McElroy situation. I guess this woman, Dr. Banks, has some intelligence, some ethics and some concern. If Steady raised awareness of the Dr. McElroy snafu, I commend you. Dan, a lot of people thank you.
What a wonderful picture you have painted of your childhood. Mine, on Long Island was much the same spent outdoors. I’m happy that you have found a way to cope with the heat to continue your walking regimen. I hope that somehow our climate chang denying politicians will come to their senses and do something.
It seems as if the "right wing" hasn't and still doesn't think that global warming is a problem. They vote against anything that is suggested to slow it down. I fear they will be the death of us, we must prevail.
From age 4 to just turned 7 I live on a dirt road 10 miles north of the city limits. It was called Yale Rd even then. My dad was overseas in the army in what they called the pacific theatre. I lived with my granparnetsmM.y grandmother & her husband. Mother lived in Tt wworthwa
We have allowed greed to bring this earth to the brink of destruction. Maybe we need to consume only what we need and use renewable resources to make the things we need. We make plastics out of crude oil which is a nonrenewable resource. Maybe we need to make materials out of resources that can be renewed. Fossil fuel consumption is widely blamed for our climate catastrophe.
Let’s all remember who is at the very beginning of our food supplies, farm workers who are dropping dead on the job from lack of adequate water and from heat stroke as well as chronic kidney problems..the list goes one. One thing we can all do is contribute to the United Farm Workers Union so they can purchase the political power to save their members. This is also a form of slavery, by the way. Dan, thanks for yet another great piece of writing. Too bad you are preaching to the choir!!
Thanks Dan. As an octogenarian I often think of my carefree childhood summers in New York City with no social media or video games, warm balmy weather, no homework but plenty of imagination, sharing ideas for outdoor games and, when each of us could scrounge up 25 cents for an”air cooled” movie on a really hot day. I grieve for children today who will be robbed of this due to a too big group of people beholden to the folks who will lose money if we take climate change seriously. What’s climate change? Just ultimately the end of the world as we know it.
Sue from Florida
As always, I truly enjoy the meaningful, thoughtful way that you draw read ers in. I can always envision the places you describe while also substituting my current surroundings with ease. You are truly a beacon of light!
This reminds me of growing up on Miami Beach before it was completely developed, running around in the sand lots between buildings. I live in Maryland now, and the heat and humidity is too overwhelming for someone within a year of 80. I finally bought a treadmill, so I could walk indoors away from the elements. Now the doctor says I must use a cane to walk, so I'm planning to trade the treadmill in for a recumbent stationary bike.
Carry On 👍👌
Wish you would run for Office, I would Vote for you in a heart beat and I’m a Republican . Lol. Liberal my ass your a wise ole sage who doesn’t shade the truth.
It amazes me that the media for the most part has continued to sugarcoat the insane weather patterns over the past decade as an aberration. No one seems to have the courage to say, "The climate crisis is not "coming", it is here!" The weather is not going to change. This is as you say, Mr. Rather, "the new normal". The C02 levels in the atmosphere are not going to dissipate. From what I've read and understand, even if we reduce C02 emissions to zero, the best we can hope for is to not make our climate worse.
A peak year boomer, I grew up in Houston splashing in pools all summer, taking trips to Camp Warneke on the Comal River, the aptly named Frio River, and sailing/water skiing giant Lake Travis. As a n adult on the Gulf Coast, I fondly remember summer evenings in Galveston flying and staking colorful Chinese kites. Lounging on the sand watching the sun go down was perfect. I really enjoyed your epic Galveston 4th of July story! Most summers growing up my family returned to the cold lakes and rivers of our native California. In California we never encountered the smoke or broiling temps experienced now. I moved back to Northern California in 2009 increasingly afraid Houston was unsustainable with climate change. Unsurprisingly, no where is really “safe” anymore. We are broiling again today with triple digits. In California, I have experienced truly frightening wildfire smoke. We are looking to buy an EV vehicle, try to keep our energy consumption low (overnight cool temps allow air cooling with fans most of the day). We work out at a/c conditioned senior classes at a gym. Thank goodness for blockbuster movies (Barbenheimet) to gather in chilly afternoon comfort. An advantage of California, over Houston is the short drive to cool summer temps. The month of August the cats and I will be at a fresh air coastal cottage. Long bluff walks by the Pacific promise cheer to any climate battered soul.
Why not give Texas a rest for a little while? It is embarrassing to say how beautiful it is here in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Last night it was about 70 degrees. We were gathered at an annual event at a friend’s farm . From that vantage point ,looking over meadows and mountains high above the rushing stream ,there was a moment of rain drops followed ,immediately ,by a Double Rainbow🌈🌈! So auspicious! So beautiful! There is hope!
Everyone gathered there has their heart in the climate movement. All doing whatever we can. So, consider a move from the heart of Texas to a place such as the above where mountains and streams and rainbows will keep Your heart stronger ,for longer ,to fight for this planet and relief from this heat for all!
We need to stay Cool to Stay Steady for the work we need to do.
Braggart! From a jealous south Texan.
I’m on vacation in El Salvador at the moment. I live in California. It’s supposed to be the rainy season. However, I have hardly seen any rain in the two weeks I have been here. People here keep telling me it’s been this way before I got here. This whole region is abundant with plants that help clean the world’s atmosphere. Most people up north may not think about this region, but they should. I traveled to Guatemala last weekend and the same weather issue is happening there. What else is happening is a lot of traffic and carbon monoxide pollution coming off from vehicles. Neither country has organized, safe, and reliable public transportation for its working population many of whom don’t have the luxury of being able to work remotely so they drive to work in cars or motorcycles or in extremely crowded buses or on the back of pickup trucks to get to and from work. Both countries don’t have or don’t enforce fuel emission requirements so black smoke covers the roads in a dark haze every day. We need to include other countries such as these in global climate change discussions and plans.
Our problem in America(one of the problems) is that we have built malls without any concern for our environment. We have one of the most beautiful pieces of the planet and we have covered it with ugly, ugly malls.
To comment on one of last week’s Substack...I read in that “little paper 📄 up north, NYT) that the President of Texas A&M resigned immediately yesterday citing, as her reason, the handling of the Dr. Kathleen McElroy situation. I guess this woman, Dr. Banks, has some intelligence, some ethics and some concern. If Steady raised awareness of the Dr. McElroy snafu, I commend you. Dan, a lot of people thank you.
What a wonderful picture you have painted of your childhood. Mine, on Long Island was much the same spent outdoors. I’m happy that you have found a way to cope with the heat to continue your walking regimen. I hope that somehow our climate chang denying politicians will come to their senses and do something.
It seems as if the "right wing" hasn't and still doesn't think that global warming is a problem. They vote against anything that is suggested to slow it down. I fear they will be the death of us, we must prevail.
From age 4 to just turned 7 I live on a dirt road 10 miles north of the city limits. It was called Yale Rd even then. My dad was overseas in the army in what they called the pacific theatre. I lived with my granparnetsmM.y grandmother & her husband. Mother lived in Tt wworthwa
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