Are We Looking for a New Planet

 I confess that I place taking better care of our planet on a higher level than many people do...maybe more than most.  I think that it is a big deal that "after several months of record-breaking temperatures, the hottest ever summer, and the hottest day on record 2024 was recently confirmed as the hottest year in history, with the global average temperature 0.12C above 2023, the previous warmest calendar year on record." (Source Earth - Org.)  

The world annual Global Risk Report of the World Economic Forum named 3 key climate risks as top global challenges: Extreme weather events, Critical changes to Earth systems, and Biodiversity loss.  The importance to such changes is that when something happens to one thing, it impacts others.  For example, temperature change alters water temperatures, Coral reefs die, and the barrier to extreme weather from coastal storms causes storm surges.

The point is that you may not live where these changes are happening, but the changes caused elsewhere can cause a ripple effect that will ultimately reach you.  Thinking, "thank goodness that has nothing to do with me" may overlook the potential ripple effect.  For example, increased emissions of greenhouse gasses have impacted global temperatures, causing fires from Australia to the U.S.

Plant a garden.

Some of the impacts are things you might never associate with changes, such as the decline of population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.  Deforestation, cut down to raise cattle, cause environmental problems, such as landslides and soil erosion.  The temperature changes cause ice melting, causing sea level rise, as well as temperature changes in the ocean.  Human activities are said to have degraded about 40% of the planet's soil. 

The title I chose was only intended as a small joke, comparing the money we are spending on space travel.  Maybe someday future generation will travel in space and settle a different planet, but for now, I think it is important to take better care of our planet.  

There are reasons I am concerned.  I fear that the protection America has given to National Parks will not be respected by those intended to protect them for future generations.

I fear overpopulation will ask more than the planet can provide.  I fear we are careless about waste.  A decade ago people were talking about recycling, but I do not see as much attention given to recycling today.  These things are not so relevant for me, as I have gray hair now.  But it is relevant to those I love.

How can we make a difference?  We can reduce single use plastics.  We can conserve energy at home, recycle, and compost.  Sometimes, we can carpool.  We can politely encourage others to find ways to make the planet more sustainable.  We can encourage their congress persons to make decisions that respect the planet.  And, young people, who have the most to lose, can politely suggest to their elders that they would appreciate our help too in respecting our planet.