Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Down To Earth

“We Need To Do More When It Comes To Having Brief, Panicked Thoughts About Climate Change”

"Suppose you've just sat down in a crisply air-conditioned movie theater. Why not take the length of a preview or two to consider the building's massive carbon footprint? Imagine those greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere, disrupting ecosystems and causing infectious diseases to spread rampantly, particularly in regions of the world where the poorest people live. Visualize massive storm systems cutting widespread swaths of destruction. Think of your children's children dying horrible, unnecessary deaths."



That was from The Onion in a beautiful piece that nails the dilemma of tackling climate change. Call it eco-anxiety, when, as individuals, we face the existential threat of climate change but are continually reminded that everything we do contributes to the problem. 

What can you do? 

Christopher Mims at Grist comments: "Without ever explaining itself, this Onion article points to exactly the result we've arrived at today in the U.S.: learned helplessness among those who are educated about climate change, which happens to resemble just the sort of inaction denialists and delayers prefer. Meanwhile, what can we do? We're not policymakers or engineers, most of us. Vote? In a political system so decrepit it feels like only a complete reboot could solve its underlying issues?"

Exactly- and with the likes of Gov. Rick Perry out campaigning as his state burns, what can you do?

From the Onion: Many well-intentioned people will take 20 seconds out of their week to consider the consequences of the lifestyle they've chosen, perhaps contemplating how their reliance on fossil fuels has contributed to the rapid melting of the Arctic ice cap. But if progress is what we truly want, 20 seconds is simply not enough. Not by a long shot. An issue this critical demands at least 45 seconds to a solid minute of real, concentrated panic.

Ha! Read the full story HERE

Obviously, freaking out won't get us where we need to be. But by getting engaged in the challenges that face us - and understanding they are immense - we can change the course we're on and have less panicked thoughts. 



Down To Earth

The DTE blog is committed to reporting and sharing environmental news and sustainability information from across the Inland Northwest.