Tag Archives: climate change

Carbon Footprint Reduction, Climate Change

Hurricane Helene

Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

I have not written about hurricanes in a little while and yet I now must.  Last week Hurricane Helene (category 4) swept up the western coast of the United States, leaving devastating damage and destruction throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  More than 170 people are dead or missing and almost 2 million people had no power.  Homes and buildings were twisted and left looking like pickup sticks.

Climate Week also took place in New York City with pledges to triple funding for nuclear energy, the establishment of a new green banks’ forum, and calls for more carbon removal.  Education about sustainability was also high on the list so that corporations and the general public better understand the options they have to remove carbon.

I bring up these two topics because they are intertwined.  The consequences of climate change are high.  If we persist in driving up CO2 levels in the atmosphere, we will continue to experience catastrophic weather events which devastate lives, businesses, and our emotional well-being.  We must reduce our carbon footprints, we must work with one another, and we must act urgently.  As I have said before, time is of the essence.

Animals, Carbon Footprint Reduction, Climate Change, Leadership

The Motivation of Hope

I recently watched this moving video (below) where David Attenborough, a British biologist and broadcaster known for his natural history television series, talks about reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and hope. He said, “Nature is a key ally. Whenever we restore the wild it will recapture carbon and help us bring back balance to our planet.” He went on to state that “we must use this opportunity to create a more equal world. Our motivation must not be fear but hope.” I urge you to continue to make a positive difference in this world.

Animals, Dolphins, Nature

Biodiversity & Climate Change

Pink River Dolphins

The World Wildlife Fund recently released its “Living Planet” report. Sadly, there has been a 69% drop in the numbers of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish since 1970. Populations in the Caribbean and Latin America did the worst, with an average decline of 94%. Global freshwater species also declined by 83% on average. The report said the key drivers of biodiversity decline include habitat loss, species overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change and disease.

Anyone who cares about animals and wildlife must urge policymakers to transform economies so that natural resources are properly valued. Since biodiversity loss and climate change share many of the same underlying causes actions which transform food production and consumption, cut emissions, and increase investment in conservation can mitigate both.

“The world is waking up to the fact that our future depends on reversing the loss of nature just as much as it depends on addressing climate change. And you can’t solve one without solving the other,” says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US. “Everyone has a role to play in reversing these trends, from individuals to companies to governments.”