I’m Canadian, so I leave it to Americans to comment on their political situation. But there is one issue that affects us all, whatever country we live in, whatever government is in power: climate change (here I’m making a scientific observation, not a political comment).
If you can, start protecting yourself and your family, and gently warning your friends about steps to take in the face of what looks like an inevitable rise in global temperatures. This is due to several factors which I’m sure you are all familiar with, and I don’t want to get into any political debates here. If you live in California, like our dear Lisa, it will likely mean more extreme weather events – droughts, scorching heat and/or torrential rainfalls – I believe your state has climate forecasts for the next decade and beyond under several best-case and worst-case scenarios.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the same thing is true for all 50 states.
Can you look into what can you do to make your home and landscape more weather-resilient? Where I live, climate change means shorter winters, but also extreme summer and fall weather events such as both drought and cataclysmic rainfalls, all of which we had this year and the last. Our municipality has detailed plans we can implement now to mitigate these events, in the face of our changing climate. so I feel more empowered, regardless of the results of political elections.
I have no influence at all on American politics, but to feel less powerless, I have to start by acting locally. Remember the old adage, act locally, think globally?
Canadian or American, Democrat or Republican, we all breathe the same air, drink the same water, burn under the same sun, freeze in the same winter storms, and heartbreakingly lose what’s important to us in extreme weather situations.
If it helps you to feel you have more agency and more control of your life, prepare and take action now to protect yourself and your loved ones under these changing and adverse climactic circumstances – it could be your gift to the future. I’m sure your state government has information applicable to your region, and I hope it will useful to you and your family. If you wish to act on a larger scale, there are plenty of organizations through which you can be a change agent.
Happy Thanksgiving!
