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Climate challenge and solutions: Deschutes Land Trust is talking about slowing down climate change
The following is from a climate change page on the land trust’s website. It’s a good example of helping people understand how climate change is a threat to long-term conservation.
“Climate change is the conservation challenge of our era. It threatens the Land Trust’s core mission of protecting land for wildlife, scenic views, and local communities for future generations. In that regard, responding to climate change is like an insurance policy for land trusts.
“In 2017, the Deschutes Land Trust created a climate change strategy to help guide the Land Trust’s work in ways that account for and respond to the impacts of climate change on Central Oregon. Our goal is to implement this strategy as we acquire new land, manage the land we already protect, and engage the community in our work. We also created this page so you can learn about our approach and the effects of climate change in our region…”
Children Change Their Parents’ Minds about Climate Change
Postulating that pupils might be ideal influencers, researchers decided to test how 10 to 14–year-olds’ exposure to climate change coursework might affect not only the youngsters’ views, but those of their parents. The proposed pass-through effect turned out to be true: teaching a child about the warming climate often raised concerns among parents about the issue.
Fathers and conservative parents showed the biggest changes in attitudes, and daughters were more effective than sons in shifting their parents’ views. The results suggest that conversations between generations may be effective starting points in combating the effects of a warming environment.
Top GOP Pollster Finds Overwhelming Support for Carbon Tax by Millennial Republicans
“This is the first time we’ve polled a climate plan that has real positive appeal across Republicans and Democrats.”
A new survey finds Republicans under 40 support a carbon tax 7-to-1. And a remarkable 85% of Republican millennials are concerned that “the current Republican position on climate change is hurting the party with younger voters.”
But what makes this result so striking is that the survey was conducted by Frank Luntz, a top GOP strategist and pollster. Luntz wrote an infamous memo in 2002 detailing the exact words conservatives should use if they want to sound like they care about climate change without actually doing anything about it.
Older Forests Resist Change—Climate Change, That Is
Older forests in eastern North America are less vulnerable to climate change than younger forests—particularly for carbon storage, timber production, and biodiversity—new research from University of Vermont finds.
The study, to be published in Global Change Biology‘s June 12th edition, analyzes how climate change is expected to impact forests across the eastern United States and Canada. It finds that increased forest age reduces the climate sensitivity of forest carbon, timber, and biodiversity to projected increases in temperature and precipitation. In other words, increased age helps to safeguard forests from climate change.
Western Rangelands Threatened by Intensifying Wildfires
Once rare, fires that are large, hot, and destructive are now common in the Great Basin—a 200,000-square mile region of mountains and valleys that includes all of Nevada and much of Utah, as well as parts of California, Idaho, and Oregon. But despite the rising fire risk, a general lack of attention is putting the rangeland in growing danger.
“The fire problem ‘risks permanent loss’ of the ecosystem,” explains Jolie Pollet, a fire ecologist and the Bureau of Land Management’s division chief for fire planning and fuels management.
“This is a genuine crisis,” she says. “And it demands greater urgency and attention than it is currently getting…”
Yes, It’s Time to Update Our Climate Change Language
“I think using the appropriate language and images is very important,” says Stephan Lewandowsky, a University of Bristol cognitive psychologist who researches public opinion on climate change.
“Concerning the specific term ‘climate crisis,’ I think it strikes an appropriate balance of conveying urgency without hyperbole.”
So Why is Two Degrees the Magic Number?
If we can keep the earth’s temperature from warming two degrees we’ll be fine. But if that temperature goes only a tiny bit above, we’re in trouble…right? Not so much. In the recent video from Katharine Hayhoe’s Global Weirding series with PBS, Hayhoe helps clarify what’s happening and what we can do.
This might be something you could share on your social media feed, or in an email.
Michigan to Allow Commercial Solar Panels on Conserved Farmland
“This administrative decision will not result in a loss of useable farmland,” MDARD Director Gary McDowell said in a statement. “The change ensures that Michigan’s farmland is preserved so we can continue to feed our communities while also balancing the need to develop renewable energy sources. This is an exciting new opportunity for Michigan’s farmers to diversify while they continue to face challenging circumstances.”
Kestrel Land Trust featured: Land conservation is part of the climate change solution
“When you think about strategies to prevent more severe impacts [of climate change], protecting land from development may not be the first action that comes to mind. The science is clear that we must reduce our fossil fuel use and curtail other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Conserving and restoring the world’s forests, grasslands and wetlands, however, is also a critical tool for countering the effects of climate change. Every year, globally millions of acres of forests are cleared for development, grazing or crops. When this happens, most of the organic carbon stored in the original forest is released into the atmosphere…”
King Arthur Flour calls for action
“King Arthur Flour works with mills and farmers across the nation to supply home bakers everywhere with some of the finest flours and baking supplies available. It takes a lot of time and energy to transport our products to stores and kitchens across the country, and we are acutely aware of the impact all that transportation has on the environment.
In 2016, the transportation sector surpassed the electric power sector to become the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. In fact, the transportation sector is responsible for nearly a third of all U.S. Greenhouse gas emissions—contributing to climate change and air pollution, and exacerbating public health concerns…
Therefore we were pleased to see Gov. Phil Scott announce that Vermont will join eight other states and the District of Columbia this year to collaborate on developing a regional, market-based policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and modernize our transportation system…”