ADVOCACY ARCHIVE
Climate Change and Public Health
https://earth.stanford.edu/news/how-does-climate-change-affect-disease#gs.l1xg0w
How does the warming planet affect disease and public health? This article addresses such a question and highlights the issue of disease-carrying mosquitos. According to the article, as climate temperatures increase, mosquitoes will be able to roam beyond their current habitats. This in turn results in the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya and West Nile virus to populations around the world such as the U.S. that have previously been isolated from the exposure of these diseases. The author speaks to public health initiatives and stresses the need for a focus in disease transmission research in order to address this issue. This article resonated with me through a deep sense of concern for the growing epidemic of climate related disease. It makes me question whether or not the world is ready to face a global disease crisis.
The Climate Crisis In Santa Barbara, CA
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/opinion/california-floods-mudslides-climate.html
This piece offers a personal perspective on experiencing the effects of climate change in the place where you live. The author, Leah C. Stokes, is a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara. I was able to relate to this article because I share similar concerns about the effects of climate change in this community since it is where I am currently living and going to school. The author talks about experiencing events such as extreme rain, fire, and drought in her hometown and how climate related natural disasters are becoming more apparent in her community as well as communities all over the world. The article seeks to inspire people to take action by speaking up about the truth of climate change and how it is the cause of the rise to global natural disasters.
Joshua Trees In Danger
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-10-17/joshua-trees-endangered-species-climate-change
This article discusses the endangerment of the California Joshua tree due to changes in the environment from the climate crisis. According to the article, hotter and drier conditions being fueled by climate change could nearly wipe out the western Joshua tree by the end of this century. Furthermore, the Trump administration rejected a proposal to list the species as threatened on the federal Endangered Species Act. Without the protection of this act, the trees are more susceptible to habitat destruction such as through land developing projects. I found the information in this article to be extremely concerning since these trees are important to my childhood, having regularly visited Joshua Tree National Park as a kid. The trees are incredibly unique and important to the desert ecosystem. This article serves as a reminder that climate change will continue to wreck devastation on icons in our environment such as the Joshua tree and that aggressive steps need to be taken to end environmental inaction.
Climate Conversation Through Pop Music
https://grist.org/article/billie-eilish-lil-nas-x-lana-del-rey-climate-pop/
Advancements in climate change communication are evident in today's pop music. This article highlights artists such as Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, and The 1975 who are speaking up about the climate crisis in their music. According to the article, this is a response by artists to grapple with the realization of living in a world that faces global devastation. It is also an example of how music can be used as a form of communication, awareness, and advocacy about issues such as climate change. Many of today's pop artists are creating a growing trend to spark discussions about the concern for our planet within their music. This article resonated with me because it gives me hope that there is an increase in communication about the climate crisis which is a necessary step for change.
California Is Not Hitting Its Emission Goals
https://lbpost.com/longbeachize/addison-ca-emissions-goals-next-10
This article discusses the issue of carbon emissions and speaks directly to Californians and the need to create healthier transportation options. According to the article, the state of California is off on it’s emission goals by 107 years. This made me think of the IPCC report and how in order to curb climate change we need to drastically lower emissions and I feel like we’re just not making that happen. It got me thinking about what it will take to meet those goals and why it is absolutely necessary that we make these leaps. Furthermore, if we can’t meet our goals on a state level, what does that tell us about our country as a whole?
Ecological Grief In Greenland
This is an enlightening article about the effects of the climate crisis on mental health. It involves a case study on people living in the Northern Greenlandic town of Ilulissat and its purpose is to bring awareness to the growing issue of climate depression. According to the article, Greenlanders are more at risk to become depressed by events such as the climate crisis because of how deeply connected their culture is to a cold environment. These people also don't have effective communication about their grief. For example, there is no word in their language to describe the climate crisis. This article seems to target a wide audience but especially those working in the mental health field. The reading resonated with me because I personally know people who deal with ecological grief and I believe there is a need for more awareness around the issue.
Diet Choices For Climate Change Mitigation
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030691921100090X
This article examines the benefits of a plant based diet through a scientific study on energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with production and transport of food items. According to the article, production and transportation of animal-based foods are associated with higher rates of GHG emissions. Furthermore, analysis of the nutritional value of the foods showed that protein efficiency was much higher for plant-based foods than for animal-based foods. The purpose of this article is to provide facts about the benefits of a plant-based diet and to give means for creating policies that encourage diets with lower environmental impacts. As someone who eats meat, this article forced me to re-evaluate my dietary choices and convinced me of the positive impacts that eating a plant-based diet can have for climate change mitigation.
Species Most Affected By The Climate Crisis
This article highlights six species that are especially struggling in the face of climate change. These species include the Orange-spotted filefish, Quiver trees, polar bears, The Adélie penguin, North Atlantic cod, all coral including Acropora cervicornis, and the Golden toad which is already exctict. The factors that are causing these species to decline are direclty related to the rising climate temperature. This article speaks to the world population as a whole and warns that if we are to save the future of many species, we must begin to take action and try to slow the rate of climate change. Overall, the article presents an extremely dire message about the consequences that the climate crisis has on certain species and gives suggestions for helping to address the issue. It resonated deeply with me since I have a love for animals and wildlife and I find it troubling to see so many species struggling to survive because of a human fueled global issue. It is up to us to save the future of species around the world before it's too late.
Paving The Way For Greener Concerts
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jack-johnson-greening-concerts_n_56e1fed1e4b0860f99d878fe
As a musician, I find stories about music related environmental awareness and advocacy to be especially appealing. That is why I was drawn to this article about Jack Johnson reducing the environmental impact of his concerts. Concerts are known to generate shocking amounts of waste and travel related carbon emissions. In order to combat this, Johnson has become a leading inspiration for other musicians to create more eco-friendly concerts through many ways such as making fundraisers and reducing the amount of waste produced. For example, he asks for the installment of energy-efficient light bulbs throughout the venues that he performs at and demands reusable bottles. This article speaks directly to musicians and concert-goers in the hopes that they will participate in this green movement. Johnson is a leader in bringing awareness to the environmental impacts of concerts and is an example to other artists about the importance of being more responsible in the industry.
Climate Change Denial in the U.S.
https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/10305
Here is an article that provides information on the topic of climate change denial in America and the motives behind this ideology. It examines the complex reasons for why people ignore the scientific proof of the climate climate crisis and the combination of trends that constitute the U.S. climate denial movement. These trends include commitment to political ideologies that oppose strong uses of regulation, and defending the traditional American way of life rooted in consumerism. The article's purpose is to provide information on the reasons behind climate denial so that we can better understand how to address the issue. I think it speaks to people who know about climate denial and want to understand how and why it is becoming such a problem. Personally, I found this article to be very insightful about the complexities that this movement involves.