Climate Comes Home
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June 1st marks the start of hurricane season. The agencies that provide long-range weather forecasts...
June 1st marks the start of hurricane season. The agencies that provide long-range weather forecasts predict a very difficult season. So, it’s possible that another Hurricane Sandy or Hurricane Katrina will hit the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic Coast before November.What can Sierra Club groups do in this situation? On Cape Cod and the Massachusetts islands, Sierra Club people have learned a few things from recent experience. Keep in mind that hurricanes aren’t the only environmental problems that Americans face during the warm weather season. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, massive power failures, and crop failures are also on the list. The following suggestions may be helpful.EMERGENCY SERVICES: If you’re a Sierra Club leader, it’s helpful to know the first aid basics. Red Cross certification means that you’ve completed training that most people understand and respect. Contact local emergency services agencies including the Red Cross. Ask, “How can I be helpful? What kind of training do I need?” First aid training is useful. Also, volunteer to help with shelter management, during emergencies.The important thing is to “be prepared.” Get your training now, before the emergency develops. For security and safety reasons, and other reasons, agencies like the Red Cross want to know something about their volunteers. If you volunteer to help with shelter operations, you’ll probably be asked to participate in a criminal records check. You’ll probably be asked to carry a Red Cross photo identification, during your hours of service.ANIMAL RESCUE: In your town, who cares for wildlife and domestic animals during emergencies? Check with local agencies. Again, if you want to get involved, there will probably be a need for a background check and some basic training.PUBLIC EDUCATION: What’s happening in your local environment? How does climate change impact on your community? On Cape Cod and on the islands, families are worried about the expansion of Lyme disease season and the arrival of new problems, including the arrival of West Nile virus. We’ve had some community exhibits that include information about what happens as “climate change comes home.” The sign for our exhibit says, “Your Health and Safety in a Changing Environment.” (The message appears in several languages.)Taking the information to environmental groups may be helpful. However: At this point, it’s very important to start reaching out to people who, usually, don’t have much involvement with groups like the Sierra Club. Try to connect with senior citizens, religious groups, human services providers, etc.Our local Sierra Club group is involved in volunteer trainings on May 29th and May 30th. We work with county health workers and the Red Cross to prepare for the warm weather season. Also, we’ll have some events in early June that alert people to the start of hurricane season.(sumitted by Bob Murphy, chairman, Sierra Club Cape Cod and Islands Group.)
If the releases of greenhouse gases are the basic cause of global climate change (true I think),...
If the releases of greenhouse gases are the basic cause of global climate change (true I think), then unquestionably the threat is due to activities of mankind. And no amount of cap and trade legislation, blocking of tar sands pipelines, tweeking of gasoline consumption per mile, etc. is going to accomplish any significant improvement. If it is people who cause greenhouse gas emissions, it follows that more people on the surface of this planet will lead to even more greenhouse gas emissions.
If we can not (or will not) take action to slow down the rate of population increase, we are destined to see even more and bigger storm Sandys in our future. Completely aside from the issue of global climate change, over population is a root cause of almost every threat to the environmental attributes we hold dear. Hardly a week goes by that I do not receive a solicitation to “Save the ?????” where ????? is whales, old growth forests, tropical reefs, orangutans, scenic vistas, sea otters, wild salmon, polar bears or ice caps. In my opinion, a rapidly advancing world population increases the threat to every ?????.
Lumberjacks and timber barons do not go into old growth forests just to hear the roar of chain saws, they go there because an ever growing population pays them well to do so. The orangutan is not threatened by a native of Borneo with a new chain saw, he is threatened by the third son of a New Jersey banker who wants a teak deck on his new boat.
Homo sapiens is the only species capable of developing endangered species lists — and the only species dumb enough to breed ourselves onto an endangered species list.
Donald E. Proctor
Sumner, Washington
Our Children Deserve Better
The droughts in Oklahoma are getting worse each year.
Climate Change, Oklahoma, and the World
We all need to realize that we are not our own entity separate from nature; our futures are linked. Therefore it is in our best interest to take care of what we have. The only things we have.
Wildlife Conservation, Food and Water Security? Enough said.
I am a biologist with an invested interest in our planet’s wildlife (as should everyone else on this planet). Climate change is having severe and well-documented impacts on the phenology of many species. We need to slow this thing down fast!