Climate Crisis
I love this world. It’s a beautiful place filled with amazing wondrous things that you can’t find anywhere else. I see its beauty every day. Every time I walk out of my front door. This is why we moved to the Slocan Valley, it’s absolutely beautiful here. But right now, in the summer of 2021 I literally can’t see it. The beauty that used to captivate me every day is hidden behind a smoky haze. I can’t even go outside that much right now as it’s not healthy for us to breathe this smoke in. I can’t be as active as I want to be and I’m not able to do as much work on our studio as I would like. If I work too hard outside my lungs feel weak and I develop a cough, then a headache usually sets in rendering me unable to focus on tasks that I would normally be able to do even indoors. We can’t function properly without enough oxygen. It pains me to see this beautiful world in such a state. It seems so blatantly obvious to me that there is a change happening, it’s literally on fire. It hasn’t rained in weeks and this is a rainforest… at least it was… when I lived in Nelson 10 years ago it wasn’t like this, there wasn’t a day that I couldn’t go outside. Things are getting worse and I’m not sure how much time we have left. I hope “fire season” doesn’t take the place of summer.
It seems crazy to me that with all of our ingenuity as humans we cannot make positive change. We cannot do what’s right. And if we do make good decisions, they aren’t consistent enough to make a lasting impact. With our intelligence, humanity should be the protectors of this beautiful world but instead we choose to use our intellect to exploit it. Should we not be held accountable for the choices we make that negatively impact our one and true home? There is nowhere else to go. I suppose preventative care and foresight are not our strongest virtues. Where should change come from? It seems that everyone is waiting for someone else to create change. Is it the government’s job to protect and care for us and this world? Do corporations have our best interests in mind when they create product for our consumption or perhaps just their wallets? Perhaps greed and immediate satisfaction are our strongest virtues? Have our actions not shown this to be true?
How much can we really do? How much do our choices really matter?
I believe everything we do can make a difference but we all need to help. Our world is crying out for help and it’s affecting the health and well-being of all living entities on this Earth.
Will we listen?
Below is a depiction of the composition of wildfire smoke that has major health effects outlined in this pamphlet from the BCCDC. You can read about what the Government of Canada is doing HERE.
How can we get back to being a global community and doing what’s right for the greater good? My advice: stay informed and take action now to reduce our impact on the climate crisis. No single person can heal the planet. We need all citizens to do their part.
