Below is an Op Ed I’ve drafted to submit to the Oregonian talking about our work in lieu of a regular blog post. Feedback welcome![
Like many people around the world, my wife and I were terrified by the October U.N. report indicating that global warming will have cataclysmic and irreversible consequences for the planet by 2040. Couple this with the headlines about unprecedented storms, water shortages, mass migration due to vanishing resources, and exponential die off of insects, and the future looks grim. Signs that humans are making the planet unlivable are everywhere.
For our family, these issues are not abstract. Our son is four and our daughter is two. They will be 26 and 24 years-old in 2040, respectively. Our kids, and all other children, are likely to inhabit a world where most of their intellectual and creative energy will be devoted to helping our species survive. By the time they are old enough to understand this fact, they will not have the power to alter it.
Under these circumstances, my wife and I started asking ourselves the question: what does it mean to be effective parents in a world on the brink? After pondering for a while, we decided that, for us, it means three things. First, it means becoming more politically active around issues of climate change by joining groups like The Climate Reality Project and the Sunrise Movement. We are not political people by inclination, but we are ready to fight for our kids.
Second, it means altering our lifestyle to reduce our carbon footprint through actions like going vegetarian, flying infrequently, and taking public transit to work. While our family’s habits are not the main contributor to global warming, they are nonetheless part of the problem. We’ve found it too easy–maybe even convenient–to assume we cannot make a meaningful difference given the scope of the problem. But if one quarter of families in the U.S. made the same commitment as us, we would reduce our country’s emissions by over 10%.
Third, it means intensifying our efforts to raise children who are politically and environmentally active. My son is five and he’s already testified at a hearing to stop the construction of a power plant that would generate large amounts of CO2. We would love for our kids never to think about such things, but they will, and they must.
Above all else, being effective parents means making climate change part of our everyday consciousness. Otherwise, it’s too easy to ignore the issue and go on with our lives. And that’s how an issue that is so pressing can feel so distant, we’re quietly letting it destroy the future for our kids.
Most of us parents have said we’ll do anything for our children. That moment is here. It’s time for you to make your pledge.
[JS1]500 words max, needs Oregon hook
Leave a Reply