Scary Future

The latest report from the United Nations on climate change is pretty scary. Now that we are seeing tons of “wild, stormy and dangerous” weather all over the place resulting in misery for so many people and in lives lost, the report foretells even more and more weather disasters all over the world. Droughts, storms, heat waves and forest fires will become more common place, while downpours and floods increase and sea levels continue to rise.

These occurrences are costly for everyone and are affecting our food supply as farmers face weather disasters. If climate change continues on its current path, food and water shortages will be the norm, the report says. It also warns of increasing health costs.

I have been seeing the effects of climate change over the years while taking my daily walks along the lake where I live. We know water levels are increasing, and in my world the erosion of the shore is clear. Many of the ancient trees that used to line the lake a few years ago now stand a yard or so from the shoreline, their gnarled roots visible in the water. Bushes that used to sway in the wind on the shore are now rooted in water away from the shore. How far will this erosion continue?

And things are not about to improve unless the world takes action to reverse the damage of carbon dioxide and other heat trapping gases. The cost of cutting emissions is modest compared the cost of the continued weather assaults on our world. We should all join forces to make certain our governments are pro-active in cleaning up our air. After all, together our voices are loud.

If we don’t, our children and especially our grandchildren will face a changing future where basic living will be profoundly changed. How will they fare? A better question is: Why should they have to? It’s up to all of us to make sure they don’t.