I've never run across an article that so much sums up how I feel. I've been talking about climate apocalypse for decades, and it's here, and I'm done talking. Thank you.
Thank you so much for writing this. Nothing has come closer to articulating the way I feel about everything right now: climate change, democracy, health and so many other things. If I had the skills to write, I would've loved to write this piece. While the ending isn't exactly hopeful, I am left feeling the relief, for a fleeting moment, of being understood and less alone. Thank you.
All the way across the country, in what should be lush, green Northern New England, we are suffering through the second summer of weird drought. Not drought like the west gets, but drought all the same. Rivers are a sickly trickle, soil is bone dry 6" down. Wells are going dry. Last summer our beautiful maples lost their leaves in late August on our property, stressed by heat and lack of rain. With acres of fruit trees, perennials, vegetable gardens, we never worried about water. It always rained in Vermont, and we had deep snow in the winter. Not anymore.
I have had the anxiety you so honestly gave voice to for the last couple years. It's distracting and depressing, but it's also not crazy, it's how one should feel watching a planetary catastrophe unfold. Even Covid seemed small next to what I am seeing and experiencing in my own little part of the world, a place I chose to live as close to nature as I possibly could. And I can see that the things we have set in motion are unimaginably vast, destructive and at this point, honestly, unstoppable. While I dream about rain regularly, and hope my plants and trees don't die before my eyes, I question how I should live now. What should we do? Where do we go? Thanks for capturing my own silent grief.
Beautiful passage. My grandparents lived in rural Pennsylvania, and I always treasured how green and lush and alive it was, when visiting after my parents relocated to Texas. Texans had no idea what there was to lose. Thank you for sharing.
Hanoch: Tell that to the people of Miami whose houses are floating away, their cars have seawater under them in the driveway and their expensive palm trees are falling over. Pumps fixed all that, right? Siberia and Australia are on fire like America. Farmers in the hotter regions find it harder to grow crops because the ground under them is turning to desert. Rivers are drying up. Where is the Aral Sea where we had a navy? All the ships are sitting on the bottom. Greenland is melting away. Yes, the consensus is wide but the measurements are clear. Carbon Dioxide is going way up, temperatures are rising faster in 60 years than they should in 15,000 years. It's only inches and fractions of a degree, right? We're setting the pace for extinction of humans and your misinformation does no good.
One bumper sticker I don't quote very often said "Save the Earth - Kill Yourself". On a vw bus at that, in Long Beach. I mean it's kind of an arbitrary romaticization of the status quo, right? It was natural when The moon was carved out of the Earth in a huge collision. It was still mother nature when the dinosaurs roamed and all that carbon left the atmosphere gradually over millions of years. It was mother nature when most life forms were wiped out during the Permian extinction by whatever processes. We are a part of nature. Whatever happens is by definition natural. There are too many people to do anything about it. Typical population explosion which will inevitably lead to a crash, from disease or disruption of things like climate. You can join Earth First and do your violent activism thing, but I submit it will have less impact than your writing, which as you observe is already fairly ineffective. Maybe just accept that the problem is beyond your ability to change very much, and position yourself as best you can. Time to buy the high ground. Put your money where your mouth is. I'm sure a lot of people would invest in a REIT like that. Read John McPhee's Annals of the Former World for some perspective. This has all been going on so long that the entire history of humanity - every thing ever done by any human - is just the period at the end of the book. Many civilizations have already come and gone. Nature will teach the lessons and effect the change, as it always does. Not always pretty, but I think being frustrated at your inability to change it is a bit grandiose and morose at the same time. Unrealistic. Good writing though. Keep it up.
holy fuck. everything is perfect, all at once. i'm here after reading your miami essay and sending it to my floridian partner who sees the continued investment into miami real estate as a sign that it's not nearly as bad as I (and we) know it to be. I wish you more peace, although i'm still looking myself. I'll let you know if I find it.
the human psyche was never meant to hold space for these types of problems. it if gives you any respite, know that we represent the growing pains of maturation. hopefully one day everyone else sees it too.
I would recommend reading Steven Koonin's recent booked entitled "Unsettled." You will learn that the "facts" touted incessantly by the media regarding climate change are usually wrong and way overstated. While the climate is changing somewhat (as it always has) the data that exists does not indicate that we are heading toward some kind of climate armageddon.
100% all of this. It's time for the right weapons. And politicians wonder why we're so angry when we argue with them about CCUS and subsidies for oil & gas & extractive industries. It's literally life or an awful, slow, or fast death.
I've never run across an article that so much sums up how I feel. I've been talking about climate apocalypse for decades, and it's here, and I'm done talking. Thank you.
A perfect summary of a perfect summary. There's just nothing left to say.
Written like a punch in the face, while crying.
For me, the good thing about your Miami story was that it helped me feel like I am sane, unfortunately the powerful are not.
Thank you so much for writing this. Nothing has come closer to articulating the way I feel about everything right now: climate change, democracy, health and so many other things. If I had the skills to write, I would've loved to write this piece. While the ending isn't exactly hopeful, I am left feeling the relief, for a fleeting moment, of being understood and less alone. Thank you.
All the way across the country, in what should be lush, green Northern New England, we are suffering through the second summer of weird drought. Not drought like the west gets, but drought all the same. Rivers are a sickly trickle, soil is bone dry 6" down. Wells are going dry. Last summer our beautiful maples lost their leaves in late August on our property, stressed by heat and lack of rain. With acres of fruit trees, perennials, vegetable gardens, we never worried about water. It always rained in Vermont, and we had deep snow in the winter. Not anymore.
I have had the anxiety you so honestly gave voice to for the last couple years. It's distracting and depressing, but it's also not crazy, it's how one should feel watching a planetary catastrophe unfold. Even Covid seemed small next to what I am seeing and experiencing in my own little part of the world, a place I chose to live as close to nature as I possibly could. And I can see that the things we have set in motion are unimaginably vast, destructive and at this point, honestly, unstoppable. While I dream about rain regularly, and hope my plants and trees don't die before my eyes, I question how I should live now. What should we do? Where do we go? Thanks for capturing my own silent grief.
Beautiful passage. My grandparents lived in rural Pennsylvania, and I always treasured how green and lush and alive it was, when visiting after my parents relocated to Texas. Texans had no idea what there was to lose. Thank you for sharing.
Hanoch: Tell that to the people of Miami whose houses are floating away, their cars have seawater under them in the driveway and their expensive palm trees are falling over. Pumps fixed all that, right? Siberia and Australia are on fire like America. Farmers in the hotter regions find it harder to grow crops because the ground under them is turning to desert. Rivers are drying up. Where is the Aral Sea where we had a navy? All the ships are sitting on the bottom. Greenland is melting away. Yes, the consensus is wide but the measurements are clear. Carbon Dioxide is going way up, temperatures are rising faster in 60 years than they should in 15,000 years. It's only inches and fractions of a degree, right? We're setting the pace for extinction of humans and your misinformation does no good.
One bumper sticker I don't quote very often said "Save the Earth - Kill Yourself". On a vw bus at that, in Long Beach. I mean it's kind of an arbitrary romaticization of the status quo, right? It was natural when The moon was carved out of the Earth in a huge collision. It was still mother nature when the dinosaurs roamed and all that carbon left the atmosphere gradually over millions of years. It was mother nature when most life forms were wiped out during the Permian extinction by whatever processes. We are a part of nature. Whatever happens is by definition natural. There are too many people to do anything about it. Typical population explosion which will inevitably lead to a crash, from disease or disruption of things like climate. You can join Earth First and do your violent activism thing, but I submit it will have less impact than your writing, which as you observe is already fairly ineffective. Maybe just accept that the problem is beyond your ability to change very much, and position yourself as best you can. Time to buy the high ground. Put your money where your mouth is. I'm sure a lot of people would invest in a REIT like that. Read John McPhee's Annals of the Former World for some perspective. This has all been going on so long that the entire history of humanity - every thing ever done by any human - is just the period at the end of the book. Many civilizations have already come and gone. Nature will teach the lessons and effect the change, as it always does. Not always pretty, but I think being frustrated at your inability to change it is a bit grandiose and morose at the same time. Unrealistic. Good writing though. Keep it up.
Oh man. Fantastic.
Hi Dan
Did you read this? https://believermag.com/under-the-weather/
Yes!
holy fuck. everything is perfect, all at once. i'm here after reading your miami essay and sending it to my floridian partner who sees the continued investment into miami real estate as a sign that it's not nearly as bad as I (and we) know it to be. I wish you more peace, although i'm still looking myself. I'll let you know if I find it.
the human psyche was never meant to hold space for these types of problems. it if gives you any respite, know that we represent the growing pains of maturation. hopefully one day everyone else sees it too.
after being involved in climate activism intensely for a few years, this describes how i feel a LOT. a little helpless !!
I would recommend reading Steven Koonin's recent booked entitled "Unsettled." You will learn that the "facts" touted incessantly by the media regarding climate change are usually wrong and way overstated. While the climate is changing somewhat (as it always has) the data that exists does not indicate that we are heading toward some kind of climate armageddon.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/05/a-critical-review-of-steven-koonins-unsettled/
You're my fucking hero.
goddamn
Well, I am glad I am not the only one who feels defeated. Thank you. Beautifully written. I am also glad I don't have grandchildren.
100% all of this. It's time for the right weapons. And politicians wonder why we're so angry when we argue with them about CCUS and subsidies for oil & gas & extractive industries. It's literally life or an awful, slow, or fast death.
wow, exactly this. thank you.