As we find ourselves in our hottest summer in recent centuries (Thompson, 2023) I am not so subtly reminded of all there is to be done. Though alarming, this record-breaking heat was expected as a result of our crises: oceans are rising, coasts are receding, resources depleting, and our temperatures increasing. The International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report suggests that a rise in global temperature as minimal as one-degree Celsius there will be detrimental and irreversible differences to our society in the coming decades. While that is but a few ramifications we face, I am consistently inspired by those doing their part and I would like to encourage you to join us. We face an intersectional threat, therefore our response must be as uniform.
I wouldn’t call this a blog, nor do I consider myself a blogger. Through this resource, I simply hope to share my experiences working in this industry, answer questions you may have, share tools that equipped you to act on climate and learn what I can from as many of you. I acknowledge that it is easy for us to succumb to the comfort of an echo chamber but with cli- global warming being intersectional it’s important for us to do what we can- however we can. Perhaps you are a non-climate-professional (NCP), but what’s that matter? If you’ve made it here to my obscure slice of the internet, then you are clearly ready to do your part. I thank you for it and I hope together we can bring true change. Thus, the golden rules:
10
No act is too small. Everything you do for this planet contributes. But so do the things you don’t.
9
Talk, and listen. Climate affects us all. In contrast to this reality, there are disproportionate ramifications among marginalized communities. To fight global warming is to fight inequality: in race, sex, and socioeconomic disparities. Simply put, we all have our experiences with global warming. We are all affected, even when less - let this common ground provide us with the platform required.
8
Emphasis: It affects us all, even the Sith. Those who choose profit over planet? Yea, they’re on our ship as well. Though they believe they have access to lifeboats, it’s important to practice patience. No conversation on climate is a wasted one- even if controversial and highly charged.
7
Action does not equate to validation. There is joy in this work through results and those we share it with, but it’s important to remember that this is our biggest threat and while we fight tooth and nail for every win- they can seem few and far between but they do happen.
6
Find your reason. Remind yourself what home, love, comfort, growth, and adventure mean. Develop your relationship with the world and her elements, embrace them, and appreciate the role they play in our lives.
Furthermore, find your niche. You need not out every fire, it’s a team effort. Find your passion, and make it sustainable for those you share it with. Fashion? A sport? An art? It can all work.
5
Efforts should not be weaponized, not all who would like to make radical changes in their lifestyles can afford to do so. We’ll discuss this further. Application isn’t linear and as long as we do what we can, let’s encourage each other.
4
Habits can be broken. I can think of a few that I’ve had (and sometimes still have) that involve the use of single-use plastics or harmful elements such as palm oils. While the convenience of products can be appealing, these are the little differences that can alter the outcome of these industries.
3
Expect the unexpected. Since I’ve stepped into the whirlwind that is this career, I have been shocked into silence at several occurrences. In the world of convenience, green-washing, and companies named after rainforests it’s hard to identify who the villains are- or worse yet, the anti-heroes.
2
Global warming is intersectional (refer to point 9). There are margins and roles that we can all play in our careers, whatever it may be: The traveling doctor who identifies climate and health stressors in the environment of their patients, the lawyer who advocates for an underfunded NPO, the architect that considers materials and temperature, and so forth. For every part of an intersectional problem, there is an equally capable solution.
1
Most importantly: understand our role. We run a relay, not several thousand acts of individual solution-based sprints. What we do today may not take us to tomorrow’s finish line- but we owe it to the next generation to take this baton and run as fast, far, and purposefully as we can.
If you’d like to speak about climate, solutions, or collaborate, or you find yourself with any questions, please reach out. See you in post 2!
For this pale blue dot, suspended in a sunbeam,
Nathaniel Luke De Santos.
(pls- Nate is fine)
Citations
Chow, Winston, et al. "IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6): Climate Change 2022-Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Factsheet Human Settlements." (2022).
Thompson, Andrea. “July 2023 is the Hottest Month Ever Recorded on Earth.” The Scientific American. Web. July 23, 2027. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/july-2023-is-hottest-month-ever-recorded-on-earth/#:~:text=Because%20July%20is%20climatologically%20the,well%20as%20on%20other%20paleoclimate
Acknowledgements
Appreciation to my parents, brothers, grandparents, and cousins for their support during this journey so far. To Miranda Massie, and Tricia Brown of the Climate Museum for reminding me of these fundamental ideologies in the times we work together. To Dr. Bernhardt, Dr. Bennington, Dr. Farmer, Dr. Morosoff, Dr. Niedt, Dr. Young and Professor Lee of Hofstra University for the tools to do my part. To the celebration of Dr. Natalicio, to Dr. Piñeda, and Dr. Perez of the University of Texas at EP for their encouragement to explore my professional capabilities. Special thanks to UTEP's Green Team and Hofstra's Leaders for Environmental Action and Fellowship (LEAF). To Dr. Porter and Dr. Braneon of Columbia Climate School for their trust in me to dive into unfamiliarity to research beyond my field. And to my friends and peers: so many of you that I’ve had the privilege of meeting- that encourage, support, and remind me why this home of ours is worth saving through your own careers and code of ethics. To the many journalists, researchers, artists, and people that taught me something. I hope to do the same, contribute, and continue the flow of climate accessibility.
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(& Jhené Aiko for the title).
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