Extreme weather—from heat waves to flash floods and severe droughts—is fast becoming the new normal. The extremes are consistent with climate change models and, per NOAA scientists, consistent with a warming planet. The New York Times summarized the NOAA findings:
Heat waves, in particular, are probably being worsened by global warming, the scientists said. They also cited an intensification of the water cycle, reflected in an increase in both droughts and heavy downpours.
More, there are some indications that change may be accelerating. Scientists monitoring sea levels, for example, are seeing levels rise on both the east and west coast at faster rates than anticipated by current climate change models.
The heat is also generating more discussion about climate change. This issue gets tricky because weather is not climate. Here a clothing analogy is helpful—weather is like the outfit I chose to wear today whereas climate is like the collection of clothes in my closet, a collection that works for the seasonal weather patterns in my community. Living in Wisconsin requires a different closet of options than does living in Arkansas or Alaska (assuming you spend some time out of doors in the natural environment). A single weather event is not proof of climate change but multiple events add up to trends and, as this graph from Climate Communication illustrates, the trends are stunning because the incidence of record high temperatures is fast outpacing the incidence of record lows.
Recent poll data suggests that Americans are noticing these trends and that the general public’s concern about climate change is growing.
Of course concern is not action.
Polls also suggest that Americans want the US government to take the lead on climate change. Unfortunately, federal action seems unlikely since polarization is sharp in Washington and gridlock seems to be the norm. Besides, climate change is not just about the US; this issue involves all countries, which makes consensus even more difficult. The recent Rio+20 conference illustrated this point all too well.
So what is left to do?
If we do nothing we exacerbate the problem. Ignoring the risks means we are ill prepared to deal with extreme events each time they occur with increasing frequency. Maintaining business as usual also means we continue to emit greenhouse gases at a pace that will further jeopardize our communities.
The alternative—acting to reduce our emissions and preparing for extreme events—can seem hopeless. After all, I cannot solve this issue alone; I’m just one person.
Cool Choices believes that we can solve this issue together. We believe that every action matters because it is another step away from complacency. We know that your actions can inspire others to act—your friends, co-workers, other members of your church, etc. We believe your actions can be viral because we have watched actions spread. We also believe that if people begin to act, to demonstrate their priorities, then our national political leaders will eventually follow, even if we cannot currently count on them to lead. At this moment, we encourage everyone to think about the words of Margaret Mead:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Cool Choices invites you to join us—and to be part of the solution.
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