Taking a Deep Breath for now, and for the Future

I am publishing this again on Earth Day because the situation continues to worsen, we have withdrawn from the Paris Accord, and this administration continues to foul our enviornment. We have less than ten years to save ourselves and our grandchildren. This was first published in 2017.

I wrote parts of this for Earth Day this year, but with the possibility of the USA pulling out of the Paris Accord, I wanted to post it again. We cannot afford to let this happen, for many reasons. 

Take a deep breath and consider this: our planet is in danger. Don’t get me wrong, the earth will continue no matter how much we abuse it, but humans will not. The planet is in danger of becoming inhospitable for humans and other life on earth. I am a person who believes in science, and in the scientific method. The scientific method has shown over and over again a causal relationship between human activity and global warming. Climate Change is not a hoax put forth by the Chinese, and anyone who believes that needs to do some research. Start by going to MIT Center for Global Change Center.

Our poles are melting, our waters are rising, our air and water is suffering, and humans around the world are dying. The United States is leasing national lands and indigenous lands against our wishes. A recent study shows 5.5 million deaths a year due to air pollution alone, and to a woman with a husband who had a double lung transplant, it is a scary statistic (BBC 2017). If we don’t stop this trend, our grandchildren will be living in an unhealthy, miserable world. I have widely traveled and seen the damage rising water and temperatures are doing. So, here are some options to help you live a better and healthier life, and save clean air and water for your children and grandchildren. America even considering leaving the Paris Accord is a disaster for us all.

• Plastic is a problem. The ocean is critical to life on earth. We cannot survive without the oxygen made in the ocean, and there is so much plastic in it that wildlife is eating it, dying from it, and contaminating our food sources. Plastic is a way of life, it would be almost impossible to eradicate it from our lives, but we can be more mindful about the harm it can cause. We can reduce our use of single plastics by simple methods such as reusing our grocery bags, saying no to plastic utensils and straws that are offered to us, and reducing our intake of bottled water. We can use biodegradable trash bags and recycled paper goods. Recycle your plastic! And cans and bottles as well. Every little bit helps!
  

• Reduce your intake of meat. It really is not that difficult, I promise! Animal agriculture is responsible for more than half of the harmful emissions to our warming planet. It also requires massive amounts of food, land, water, and energy (let alone the suffering of the animals). It really is not difficult to go a day without meat. Join Meatless Monday! Check out this out: eat one less burger a week and it is the equivalent of not driving for 320 miles. Going meat and cheese-less for one day a week is the equivalent of not driving for 5 weeks! If the entire USA joined in Meatless Monday it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road! (Earthday.org)
  

• Give to a foundation that supports our ocean, our animals or our land. A few of my most esteemed foundations are Marine Megafauna Foundation, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Foundation, REEF and the Jane Goodall Institute. Visit National Parks! Do what you can to support wildlife! Don’t buy Chinese medicine with parts from endangered animals.
• Download the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app, and check to see if you are eating unsustainable fish, fish with high levels of mercury, or endangered species. It is so simple! Red dot, don’t eat, Yellow dot it is okay but not great, and Green dot eat it! I use it whenever I go out if I plan to have seafood. By the way, do not eat farmed Atlantic Salmon, it is quite unhealthy. The better choice is wild caught salmon only!
  

• Let your government representatives know that you are concerned about our environment. At this moment the US government is getting rid of regulations that protect us and our children. Some want to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency altogether!  Trump is even talking about leaving the Paris Accord! America and its resources should be leading this effort, not leaving it! We will lose not only our self respect and position in the world and among our allies, but growing an incredible green energy economy. Contact your representatives and let them know you care about the air we breathe, and the future of our grandchildren. I want mine to be able to take a deep breath.

Other than call the White House or your representatives, the best thing you can do is get out in nature, our natural resources are too precious to allow them to be ruined.