Having grandkids has brought joy to my heart. But as I age I feel increasingly that the children of the world belong to all of us, to nurture now, and to answer to in the future.
With this in mind, reading about climate protests, marches and boycotts led by young folks fills me with pride and even a sense of hope about the climate crisis.
When we get older many of us downsize our stuff and pack it up for charity, but there are items of monetary or sentimental value we bequeath to family members. We hope to leave a legacy, and not a burden for our descendants. But no amount of inherited wealth means a thing without an inhabitable planet. Which is exactly why we should care about climate change more than our investment portfolios or mere things.
People believe and appreciate scientists when they produce breakthroughs in medicine or technology that improve lives. Yet when it comes to climate science, why do some disbelieve the dire warnings of climate scientists and attach themselves to the agendas of climate change deniers? Are they even thinking of their grandkids?
According to a vast majority of scientists, climate change is a reality and evidence says human activity is the cause, which means we can influence the outcome, if we act soon. The military believes climate change is a threat to security, the insurance industry has been roiled by climate-related losses. Farmers are hard hit, folks residing in coastal areas in the US and across the planet are losing homes, livelihoods and even their lives due to flooding, drought and severe weather events made worse by climate change.
This is a local, national and global issue. It is a moral issue, a crisis of safety, public health, economics.
There is much we can all do individually to help, but to turn this around we need political courage, legislation and cooperation, across party lines and borders.
As grandparents, nothing we leave behind will matter if we do not leave a life-sustaining planet. I thank the youth who have decided they can’t wait for adults and need to take on this challenge now, with urgency and commitment. But they need us too.
We can reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and make other changes, but that is not enough. We need to pick up the phone and contact legislators at every level and voice our opinions and demand action. We need to take this issue to the polls and not vote for those denying, or even just ignoring climate change. Politicians, starting with the president, should insist our nation is active in international climate talks. Our leaders should be passing legislation to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy. Politicians listen when they know an issue is a deal breaker. This is!
For more information contact citizensclimatelobby.org. There is a Waupaca chapter and their website is full of information. I plan to join, for the grandkids. What will you do?
Megan Karth
Waupaca