What is Green on the Corner?

Welcome to Green on the Corner! This is where you will find regular conversations on a multitude of issues that all relate to climate change. Climate change is such an all-encompassing topic that it is hard to know where to start, what is worth doing and what is not. We can be empowered to do the things we can easily do and begin to tackle those that are more challenging. With a bit of naivete, hope and necessity, I believe that collectively we can have a greater impact. The more we can read, talk, and learn about this issue, the more we can take it to heart and act.

The Environment Team of TALK, Truth in Action with Love and Kindness, is starting this initiative to bring topics that inform us and give us actionable items on the things that we can do here in town. The Glastonbury Citizen has graciously agreed to print regular submissions for our monthly ‘Green on the Corner’ column. We are partnering with a variety of community voices in this effort. Personal level efforts coupled with collective efforts can make a difference.  These choices are not always binary, do this, don’t do that. The challenge is to find more perspectives on issues and find a more nuanced and approachable way to act. This is not about being right or wrong, or pointing fingers. It’s about figuring this out for now and future generations.

Climate change is here. All one has needed to do this summer was to step outside feel the heat and look at the air in our communities to know life is different. We have had many days where our air was full of smoke from fires thousands of miles away. One can listen to the news about coastal flooding, extensive wildfires, heat domes with record setting temperatures with accompanying loss of life, volatile weather patterns, habitat and animal losses.

Climate change is due to rising greenhouse gasses and carbon dioxide levels around the world. CO² levels in the 1700’s were about 270 parts per million(ppm). As of 2020 we are at about 412 pmm in 2020. This is predicted to keep on climbing unless we change our behaviors.  Earth’s 5 warmest years have occurred since 2014. In June, Portland, Oregon set a 116-degree high-temperature record, while Salem, Oregon reached 117 degrees, also a record. About 200 people lost their lives in Oregon and Washington.

Globally the 5 different sectors of the economy and humanity producing greenhouse gases are:  Electricity production 25%, food, agriculture and land use 24%, Industry 20%, (making cement 8%), transportation 15%, extraction and processing of fossil fuels 10%. The average American generates 16 tons of emissions, the global average is 4.8 tons per capita.

Action is needed on many fronts to combat climate change. What needs to be done must come from policy directives on a state and federal level addressing the items above. We need to demand more immediate action on these fronts. We also need to alter our behaviors on individual, community and municipal levels.

With the onset of the pandemic last year there was a dramatic temporary improvement in air quality around the world. Mountain ranges hidden by smog for years could now be seen. This suggests that we can effect positive change, by changing what we do.

We can start by talking more about the issues and identifying common concerns and act as a community to have a larger impact. We need to make our lives, homes and communities more resilient to the changes in our climate. We need to work with town leaders to diminish our carbon footprint.

I recently heard a podcast by Dr. Anaya Johnson (How To Save a Planet) who drew on the perspectives of climate change as children might view this topic. Children are vessels of hope and optimism but also much more concrete and matter of fact. If something is bad, such as the emission of fossil fuels, then we should not burn fossil fuels – end of story. Adults unfortunately think of the resultant consequences of that decision, being aware of nuanced perspectives that such a decision will bring. We get bogged down in the politics, cost, available alternatives and practicalities of these issues. We may lose sight of the primary needed goal of reducing climate changing emissions ending with inaction.

Action item for today: stop needless burning of any fuels.

Let’s start having these conversations with our family and friends! Your ideas and suggestions are crucial! Do you have a related topic which you are passionate about? Let’s have more of these conversations! Please send your ideas to: prez@talk-action.org. All columns will be archived on our website https://talk-action.org/