Frog Blog

Climate Action Day 87 – Share Your Observations and Experiences

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

Whenever there is an extreme weather event, the media seems to wring its collective hands. Is event caused by global warming? Is this one particular event evidence of a changing climate? In the moment, and depending on the media company that owns them, they may or may not be able to comment on their opinion on attribution, or the process of establishing the most likely causes for a detected change with some defined level of confidence. This is the realm of the climate scientists, not the weather-guessers (what my father called the local TV weather personality).

Climate denial politicians like to make the “it’s the weather, stupid” argument. The Hill quotes Laura Ingraham telling Fox News viewers “It’s, hot, hot, hot, all right. After all, we’re in the middle of a season called ‘summer.’” Stronger hurricanes are “a fact of life in the Sunshine State,” declared Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I’ve always rejected the politicization of the weather.”

Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it

Charles Dudley Warner, often misattributed to Mark Twain

Climate denial can only met with data driven arguments. Collecting and analyzing the data, and drawing firm attribution conclusions from it takes time, skill, and effort. True climate change attribution is only feasible with data collected over large areas and long times.

Meanwhile we walk out into a milder winter in Minnesota than anyone can remember and know, without data, that we are experiencing profound changes in weather patterns. These accumulated observations and impressions have value for climate scientists and increasingly those who are assembling the narrative of climate change and its impact on human society.

The informal information we accumulate as we move through the day is valuable and can add fine detail to the data driven climate models developed by experts. The incorporation of routine and reliable observations gathered from disparate “informal” sources often aid in identifying climate solutions.

And equally important accumulate weather anecdotes and narratives can help personalize the science of climate change to make it more accessible for those not yet ready to accept the reality, even if they experience the same weather events we do.

Some community science platforms that Heid recommends include ISeeChange, an app and site that allows you to take your experiences of weather climate, relay how it is affecting you, and contribute to a community record that you can access for insight and communication. Check out a story here.

Your local state climatology office may want you to become a weather data source or you can become a part of the The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network which is an exciting grassroots effort of citizens measuring precipitation right in their own backyards.

And the Thriving Earth Exchange “supports community science by helping communities find resources, project managers, and experts to address their pressing concerns”. They are particularly interested in your input if you are a community scientist willing to “offer their technical skills, expertise and networks to support communities in advancing their priorities through a community science project”.

Volunteering to observe and report your observations may be an easy action for you to take to help create a science-based climate narrative and enhance the efforts of networked climate scientists.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 88: Role-Play Climate Solutions

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 86 – Support Youth Climate Activism

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

You should buy Heidi’s book just for this chapter. It is a beautiful and powerful statement of the potential power of the youth climate movement and our duty to help.

Michael Mann, in his book The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet, elaborates on a key strategy to combat climate change – A Child Shall Lead Them. “The youngest generation is fighting tooth and nail to save their planet, and there is a moral authority and clarity in their message that none but the most jaded ears can fail to hear. They are the game-changers that climate advocates have been waiting for. We should model our actions after theirs and learn from their methods and their idealism.

Watch young climate activists demand action and inspire hope at UNICEF.

https://www.unicef.org/stories/young-climate-activists-demand-action-inspire-hope

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been a very visible leader in a movement to hold everyone accountable and demand change for the generations that will be most impacted by climate change. And there are many others already making their voices heard and taking decisive action. And millions more, inspired by the pioneers, are waking up to the dreadful future they face – a future not of their making – and harnessing their passion and focus (and social media savvy) to fight back.

Of course, we need constructive dialogue, but they’ve had thirty years of blah blah blah, and where has that led us?

Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the 2021 Youth4Climate Summit

Blah blah blah. That is what they hear. And that is what they are working to challenge. And they should challenge it. More than 50 percent of greenhouse gases causing global warming have been emitted since 1990 by adults with access to a full understanding of the causes and likely devastating effects of fossil fuel driven climate change.

And youth activists are standing up, raising their voices and making themselves heard. Especially against the generations who knew and did nothing. They are targeting those in charge with clear intent – Greta Thunberg has leveled this charge at the policymakers: “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth”.

If you were born after 1990 you have a right to hold the older generations to account. And as for me and my generation who are among the “climate-concerned individuals and community members” (as Heidi calls us) we have no choice but to support them and champion their cause as they take the lead in response.

Not only that, we have a duty to knock down barriers using our accumulated wealth, knowledge, experience, and political power and take action with a focus on “honoring, supporting, and advancing the priorities and needs that the growing youth climate movement has articulated”.

The UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

What can and should we do to help a “child” lead? Start with an understanding of your role, capacity, and capability and how it fits into and supports the approach these youth activists are taking. Then do everything in your power to support them. Find a local group and share your wisdom, time, commitment, and financial support. Join them in their marches and support them during school strikes.

At a minimum, defend them against critics and those that would dismiss them.

You can find youth-led climate organizations – local, national, and international – if you search for them. Immerse yourself in the UN Voices of Change series that “looks at the determination and drive of young people mobilizing for climate justice”. The UN has a Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change that provides the Secretary-General with “practical and outcome-focused advice, diverse youth perspectives and concrete recommendations”.

The Sunrise Movement is a powerful group of “young people fighting to stop the climate crisis and win a green new deal”. They approach the problem by growing power through organizing activists in their communities, rooting themselves in what they’re fighting for, and committing themselves to a “journey to become better organizers, leaders, and people”.

Yet some in my generation may question the suggestion that a “child” is capable of leading them. Older adults may tend to be complacent or hopeful in the face of this on-going and looming disaster. It will be OK. It will all work out. OK. Sure. But if you are old enough, this is not your fight to fight. Or rather, the consequences of you losing the fight are not quite as dire for you compared to the youth that are gearing up to take the lead to fight it. If they lose, humanity loses.

Take Greta Thunberg, who at 17, knowing that her generation has been forced by older generations into a fight to save a planet, articulated the reality of youth climate activism – I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.

UN Voices of Change: Nicole Becker: Turn that anger into collective action

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 87: Share Your Observations and Experiences

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Climate Action Day 85 – Contribute to Community Groups

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately. For the purposes of this post, let’s let Ben Franklin have this one (probably not, according to Doctor Buzzkill). The idea of collective action baked into the lore surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence to create a new nation. We all are in this together. One for all, all for one. It is the essence and critical foundation of climate action. The only way to muscle past the tragedy of the commons.

Many, if not most of the climate actions we have discussed in this series are focused on what you can do as an individual and how you can make your voice heard to positively influence others to take action. You still may not be convinced or may not be able to take action in a way that is aligned with your values and has also a hope of making a measurable impact.

Maybe you have money that you can put to work for you while you figure out what you can do. You can put your time and effort into researching groups worthy of support. Community and church groups, or local, regional, national, or global. You can decide the scale, the mission, and the impact and through your donation you can support others taking action.

You might be interested in enhancing greenhouse gas emissions, creating green spaces, watershed and flood management, mental health services, equity and social justice, disaster response and recovery. Anything we have talked about has champions who have come together as individuals to organize and make a difference.

Get started at Charity Navigatorhere are (on this day) 443 groups that claim some connection to climate action. You can sort by rating, region, how they approach the problem: leadership and adaptability, impact and results, culture and community, etc. And don’t forget to reserve a little to support Charity Navigator for their good work.

Want your support to go directly to an individual? Search climate on GoFundMe and find individuals and organizations who need just a little funding to do good work. Unlike other charities, you will know who you are funding. For instance, check out Shoestring Climate Activist Needs Support or Heat Relief for Homeless Daytonians. With this kind of direct support, you can have the satisfaction of knowing exactly the impact you are making and amplify the efforts of those taking action.

Taken at the March for Science on Earth Day 2017 – St. Paul, MN

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 86: Support Youth Climate Activism

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Climate Action Day 84 – Champion Climate Planning in Your Community

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

Does your community have a climate action plan? Enlightened communities recognize the risks before them and devote time and energy to understand the potential impacts of climate change on their infrastructure and residents, and methodically sets down a plan to prepare for the envisioned future.

Take a look at how the city of St. Paul, MN approaches climate action.

Like any plan, a legitimate climate action plan articulates a framework for response and decision making based on a frank assessment of the risk from climate change. It includes not only mitigation, reducing emissions from various sources within the framework, but also adaptation including a concern and focused on disadvantaged populations that may bear the brunt of a changing climate.

Check to see if your favorite city has a climate action plan.

Your city might be asking for your opinion and input. And in term you should be vigilant that the plan makes sense and, more importantly, that the city is actually taking action to execute the plan. A 2020 Brookings Institute study found that while many city have plans for greenhouse gas reduction, as majority are not meeting their own targets.

Heidi Roop – The Climate Action Handbook.

Your location does not have a climate action plan? It is time to make your voice heard, along with like-minded citizens, to your elected officials to motivate them to make the resources available to establish and execute a viable plan. After a brief search, it looks like I may need to do more in my hometown. The good news is that the State of Minnesota offers resources for communities to develop their plan.

Be aware that climate action plans can be politically charged. Viewed not as framework for action against a legitimate threat, but as a tool by liberals to consolidate power (mostly by conservative climate change deniers). In 2017, for instance, nearly all references to climate change moments after Donald Trump was sworn into office, including President Obama’s Climate Action Plan that proposed a reduction in carbon emissions. Climate change did not reappear, according to the US Government, until the Biden administration in 2021.

And believe it will happen again in 2025 if Donald Trump is elected as President. Please review climate action reversal plan and other scary actions proposed in Project 2025, an “agenda prepared by and for conservatives who will be ready on Day One of the next Administration to save our country”. 

Conservatives already have a plan for Trump’s second term.

The plan includes eliminating critical DOE functions like the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, reducing the focus on energy equity, diversity and inclusion, and conducting a “whole-of-government assessment and consolidation of science”. The good news is that Donald Trump will unlikely not have a united Congress to reverse legislation. However he can do considerable damage to the Department of Energy and other critical agencies through executive action.

As a reminder, Vote in Every Election.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 85: Contribute to Community Groups

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 83 – Engage Your Elected Officials

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

The essence of polarization is disconnection. Your views are so radical to mine, and mine are so entrenched that the only path we can find to move forward is to disconnect and go our own ways. Conservatives stop listening to liberals, and liberals only listen in an echo chamber. Nothing gets done, no one listens, and and separately we stay where we are. We can’t afford that anymore – a warming planet is largely disinterested in your political views.

The biggest and potentially most dangerous disconnect is between what we want as an electorate and what our elected officials are willing to do on our behalf. It seems that among the reasons people run for office, public service is not always at the top of the list. The cynical among us may be convinced that politicians largely serve themselves and the interest of wealthy benefactors who work to put and keep them in office to serve their interests.

We vote for candidates and we expect them to work with our best interests in mind. Increasingly a majority of US adults express their views in polls that addressing climate change needs to be a critical priority for our government. A 2023 poll shows that a majority of US adults say that federal and state governments are not doing enough to “reduce climate change effects”. An even higher percentage feel that corporations are not doing enough.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/09/what-the-data-says-about-americans-views-of-climate-change/

Don’t wait until the next election to take action. Start preparing now to make your voice heard. What are you passionate about? Clean energy generation, building energy efficiency, land and wildlife conservation, climate adaptation and disaster preparedness – all of these need champions.

And we champions need to make our voices heard to those that have the position and the budget to act on our behalf. write a letter – most of elected officials have a portal seeking your views. Frequent town halls or stop by the office. Join a group for collective action. Make your voice heard in a way that is most natural for you.

If you don’t want to speak up for yourself, speak up for others. As the World Resources Institute puts it, “climate change poses the greatest threat to those least responsible for it, including low-income and disadvantaged populations, women, racial minorities, marginalized ethnic groups and the elderly.

Find your Federal and State elected officials

Find your mayor

Explore and contact your local government

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 84: Champion Climate Planning in Your Community

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 82 – Vote in Every Election

Civic and Community Engagement

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

I bet you already know who you are going to vote for in the 2024 election. For president, that is. Congressional races, likely. The Governor, for sure. Top of the ballot, races driven with endless advertising and analysis by the pundits.

But do you know whether your local school board is being targeted by a slate of science deniers? Will your mayoral race turn into a disaster when a climate change denier takes over and works with a like-minded city council to reverse all the changes their liberal predecessors made?

When you bring proposals to them to address energy equity, or to create cooling stations for heat waves, or restore wetlands, or improve energy efficiency for municipal buildings, will they care? Do you know? Will you be prepared when you stand in front of the ballot in November, ready to cast your vote for the leaders that may have the biggest impact on you, your family, and your community? Or will you just guess and hope for the best?

https://vote-climate.org/home/

96% of elected officials take office locally. City councils, county commissioners, school boards and other officers make decisions on local services and programs valued at over $2 trillion annually. The impact or their daily decisions drives local economies, their influence is profound and their actions often not scrutinized by a disinterested electorate.

Except for a small block of largely white, affluent, and older voters, most of us – over 73% of eligible voters – do not cast a ballot in local elections. “This means people who are least likely to live through the worst of climate change are deciding and influencing both today’s and tomorrow’s priorities”.

Register. Research. Show up and vote. Minimum.

Want to do more? Knock on doors (according to MPR, Minnesotans apparently say Sure!). Become an election judge. Go to your city council meetings and get to know your elected officials to decide who to vote in or out. Take the time to research your local races. Maybe consider running for office yourself.

Do what you can. And what you can do is vote.

https://www.alterecofoods.com/blogs/blog/why-voting-for-climate-is-important-to-me

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 83: Engage Your Elected Officials

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 81 – Pay Land Use Fees

Health and Well-being

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

The United States Fourth National Climate Assessment, published in 2018, is a masterly and stark statement on the climate change underway in the US. I recommend downloading the full document now in case it disappears after the next election.

The climate is changing and everything is on the move. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, we should expect substantial changes in the ranges in which of animals and sea life are found. This includes the disappearance of some familiar species from the habitats we are used to and the arrival and proliferation of invasive species as ecosystems struggle to adapt to a climate changing at an alarming rate.

According to the report’s Summary Findings, we can expect that the “valued aspects of regional heritage and quality of life tied to ecosystems, wildlife, and outdoor recreation will change with the climate, and as a result, future generations can expect to experience and interact with the natural environment in ways that are different from today.”

“Landscapes and seascapes are changing rapidly, and species, including many iconic species, may disappear from regions where they have been prevalent or become extinct, altering some regions so much that their mix of plant and animal life will become almost unrecognizable”.

Third US National Climate Assessment

In addition to the changes in phenology that we have already discussed (Climate Action Day 61), climate change in the US is being manifested in a general northward shift or a change to higher elevation for many species, in response to climate stressors. Survival of affected populations forced to make these shifts in geography are additionally stressed when the landscapes are artificially fragmented with a loss of the connectivity of their habits.

A concern for the current and future impacts of these changes are driving groups to combine resources to mitigate the effects and help create viable alternate landscapes to preserve habitat and wildlife. The Climate Change Response Network for instance, is a “collaborative, cross boundary approach among scientists, managers, and landowners to incorporate climate change considerations into natural resource management”.

A major effort under this framework is driven by Ducks Unlimited, Inc., an organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing habitats for North American waterfowl, not only for the species, but for the hunters that hunt them. Along with the National Wild Turkey Federation and state and federal partners, the group has executed a sustained science-based adaptation strategy to help bottomland hardwood forest adapt to climate change, thus preserving the waterfowl habitat they cherish.

There is a simple action for individuals to take: enthusiastically pay the fees charged by federal, state, and local governments for your recreational activities. The funds from licenses and permits are funneled into managing and conserving the wildlife habitat that we enjoy. The US Fish and Wildlife sold over $900 million in hunting licenses and over $750 million in fishing licenses in 2021. Along with Federal excise taxes, a sizeable portion of these funds support state-level conservation, preservation and recreation projects.

Of the $750million spent on fishing licenses in 2021, 34% of the funds went to fisheries, 32% to wildlife, 22% to support wildlife officers, and the remainder to other key recreation infrastructure and conservation programs.

In Minnesota you can contribute to conservation efforts and show your commitment by paying a nominal upcharge for one of several critical habitat license plate designs. You can also pledge an annual contribution to the Reinvest in Minnesota Critical Habitat Program that works to preserve wetlands, prairies, forest and other important wildlife habitat in Minnesota.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/features/plates/index.html

No matter what you do in nature – hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, birdwatching, etc. – the fees you pay for licenses, permits, and entry fees are a critical resource for dedicated state and federal officials to use to preserve and protect critical habitat. Pay your fees without complaint and enjoy your time in nature. Has Heidi says, “future generations will thank you”.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 82: Vote in Every Election

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 80 – Cherish Winter Recreation

Health and Well-being

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

“Climate change will only help Minnesota!”.

I am not sure the folks who say that understand what they are saying. It is a grim joke. Minnesota embodies the change in climate change. According to NOAA, annual average temperatures warmed by 3.2°F from 1951-2012, faster than the national and global rates.

Our winters are changing fast. Overnight low temperatures warmed almost twice as fast as mid-day high temperatures from 1951 through 2012. This is what is making Minnesota outpace the national averages. In this time period, the average high temperatures rose 2.3°F (1.3°C) at the same time the average lows rose 4.1°F (2.3°C). There are over 20 fewer days a year where temperatures fall below freezing.

https://glisa.umich.edu/media/files/Minn-StPaulMN_Climatology.pdf

Winter recreation is big part of Minnesota’s identity: ice fishing, dog sled races, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling. All of this is predicated on cold weather, frozen lakes, and snow covered landscapes. The winter economy is diverse. Our lack of snow puts a financial strain on small businesses built around snow removal.

As the climate change impacts are felt, it may require a significant shift in the economies of individuals, businesses, and communities. Events may be cancelled. Tourist may not show up. Companies may lose business and ultimately fail.

It is not just Minnesota. The impact on ski resorts may be profound and unsettling – hard to predict and plan for. To stay in business, in some seasons resorts may rely on snowmaking which is energy and water intensive. In others, they may face record snowfall levels. Climate change brings uncertainty that affects economies.

If you enjoy winter recreation, you should reflect on how the changes will impact you personally. As the old saying goes, “everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it”. Maybe it is a trite sentiment, but we can embrace the uncertainty by joining together with those that share our passion and find a way together.

If you are motivated, you can find local and national groups of professional and amateur athletes and winter enthusiasts that have joined together to address climate change. One of these groups, Protect Our Winters (POW), was founded by professional snowboarder to “help passionate outdoor people protect the places and experiences they love from climate change”.

It is a powerful group with a focused mission and a track record of accomplishment and advocacy. You may be motivated to channel your energy and passion for outdoor recreation and sport into supporting a group like POW. Or maybe it is a model for you to join with your own group of committed, passionate kindred spirits to protect what you care about.

https://protectourwinters.org/about-pow/theory-of-change/

“… finding a group of people who share similar goals and interests can help drive climate action. This shift from ‘I’ to ‘We’ can help sustain climate work and lessen feelings of helplessness and hopelessness”

Heidi Roop

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 81: Pay Land Use Fees

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 79 – Change Your Fitness Patterns

Health and Well-being

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

In early October of 2023, the Twin Cities Marathon was cancelled due to a forecast of temperatures during the race reaching an unseasonably high of 91°F. More years than not, the concern is low temperatures not dangerous heat – the average temperature on race day is 66°F.

“The latest weather forecast update projects record-setting heat conditions that do not allow a safe event for runners, supporters and volunteers,” organizers said in a statement. “Extreme heat conditions can tax both runners and our emergency medical response systems.”

This unseasonably warm winter in Minnesota has been bad news for many and good news for some. On one hand, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon has been cancelled in January 2024 due to lack of snow. Bad news for mushers and snow enthusiasts. But for some, good news! Some golf courses open briefly in our warm January and because of the mild conditions, the 2024 season is starting up already. For the avid golfers, here is a list of open courses.

In some areas, warming trends my increase the number of days we are able to go out and exercise and play in the warm weather. But as Heidi points out, the temperatures for outdoor exercise is a “Goldilocks” situation, with a “just right” range of temperatures that allow for maintaining human health.

Climate change will drive high temperatures, humidity, and poor air quality. In previous periods with poor air quality, it was reported that “vigorous” physical activity was reduced considerably. This trend will continue and regularly scheduled sporting events will have to anticipate heat waves and make adjustments, like the Australian Open extreme heat policy, which is based on a threshold reading of the wet-bulb globe temperature.

. As temperatures warm, we will need to acclimate to increasing heat and humidity and carefully consider the state of our health for even moderate physical activity. We need to be in tune with our bodies and know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The heat index is commonly reported and a good indicator for safety = above 85°F you should be concerned about your health.

If you choose to exercise outside in hot weather, use a personal health monitor to keep track of your exertion. It makes sense to develop a cross-training routine indoors for the high heat index days. Watch your sun exposure and stay hydrated!

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 80: Cherish Winter Recreation

Howard Creel

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Climate Action Day 78 – Buy Beauty Products Responsibly

Health and Well-being

The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024

In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.

Your cosmetics are volatile. And some of them, like moisturizers, are often opened close enough that you inhale a higher dose then you otherwise would in the ambient air. In one study, selected products were found emit more than 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – this includes products marketed with key greenwash words like “green”, “natural”, and “organic”.

NOAA found that perfumes make up a significant proportion of the emissions traced directly to households. And as the transportation sector has tightened controls on VOC emissions, a study of ambient air pollution in Los Angeles showed that household emissions were roughly at the same level as that of the emissions from fuels (from storage and spills, not combustion).

And in a very intriguing pre-pandemic study, commuters in Boulder Colorado emitted a compound referred to as D5 siloxane copiously during their morning commute. Not from their tailpipes, but from the personal care products they applied before getting into their cars to start their commute. Remarked the researchers: “In this changing landscape, emissions from personal care products are becoming important. We all have a personal plume, from our cars and our personal care products”.

https://phys.org/news/2018-04-daily-emissions-personal-products-car.html

What do formulators put VOCs like D5 siloxane also referred to as cyclomethicone (the chemist can’t resist: technically decamethylcyclopentasiloxane) into their formulations? Apparently adding cyclomethicone ensures that your hair has a silky-smooth texture and changes the surface tension in wet hair allowing you to run a comb through your wet hair without snagging or tangling. 

When you walk out the door with wet hair on your way to the office, the D5 slowly evaporates into the atmosphere and because it is a long-lived chemical it lasts long to react with other pollution to help form the ground level particulate and ozone pollution we covered in an earlier post.

And watch out for the microbeads contained in many popular personal care product. Often added as a mild skin abrasive or exfoliant, these compounds are a key constituent of persistent microplastic pollution. Beat The MicroBead has a search engine (and app) to identify their use in your favorite brands.

With the largely unregulated glut of personal care products, it will be difficult to settle on brands that align with your personal values. As with other consumer product selections, start by researching your current brands and examine their claims with your greenwashing filter set on it’s highest setting. The industry is built on nebulous technical claims marketed with enthusiasm backed by big budgets. There is probably an enthusiasm for companies to address the market for environmentally conscious consumers and make cynical and suspect claims.

While the loud voices of the unscrupulous suppliers may be deafening and confusing, brands that prioritize sustainable and ethical practice are trying to find you. The ones that make their products with environmentally friendly formulations and packaging, and embrace sustainable manufacturing and business practices. With a little research, you can find them.

Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 79: Change Your Fitness Patterns

#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *