Posts Tagged ‘climate change and parents’

Frankenstorm, Climate Change and Another Year Without Halloween

Friday, October 26th, 2012


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My Street: Snow in October 2011

In late summer 2011 Hurricane Irene left many of us in the Northeast United States without power and “under water” for days. A few weeks later a Nor’easter blew in and many families and communities were flooded and without power again. This was followed a month later by a “freak fall storm” that dumped snow on trees at their peak fall foliage colors, forcing branches to break, power lines to be brought down and power to be cut off yet again – in some communities for more then a week. This particular storm arrived a few days before Halloween 2011, causing “trick or treating” to be cancelled in many New York, New Jersey and Connecticut towns because of unsafe walking conditions and continuing power outages. We in the Northeast are on the verge of this becoming a reality again.

Weather forecasters and state and municipal governments in the New York metropolitan area are already asking residents to “prepare” as

Credit: Repower at Home

Hurricane Sandy and a second storm from the west are threatening to converge a few days prior to Halloween in what is being dubbed by some as the “storm of the century or Frankenstorm” in honor of it’s proximity to Halloween. Both of my children’s schools have “tested their emergency alert” systems and reached out to parents about possible school closings.

Where I grew up in Western Canada Halloween was the date around which snow came and stayed on the ground until spring and here in the Northeastern US, snow has traditionally fallen at least a month past Halloween. Now in Western Canada snow sometimes doesn’t come until December and New York and New Jersey get snow storms in October. Nothing is “normal” anymore about the weather, except for the fact that there is no “normal.”

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Extreme weather events are a fact these days – from droughts and heat waves to flooding and snow storms. Scientists tell us that any one storm isn’t proof of climate change, however, as Dr. Kevin Trenberth and others are now telling us: “The answer to the oft-asked question of whether an event is caused by climate change is that it is the wrong question. ALL weather events are affected by climate change because the environment in which they occur is warmer and moister than it used to be….” It is warmer and moister then it used to be primarily because we humans have become the most powerful “climate forcing” agent on the planet, outpacing volcanoes and solar activity through our thoughtless creation of greenhouse gases which we are sending into and thereby altering our atmosphere, most of which have been caused up until now, by our burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas).

Isn’t it time we began to “connect these dots” DO something about what’s causing climate change and DEMAND that others do something too? I think so….So what CAN you do? While for starters and in the short term:

1. Be a Climate Voter. Don’t support candidates that deny climate change or want to keep us addicted to fossil fuels. Check out the League of Conservation voters for more information on who is denying climate change outright and look to candidates website about what they (not others) say about their energy plans and about climate change.

2. Be part of 24 Hours of Reality, The Dirty Weather Report beginning November 14th. Sign up today.

3. Demand that whoever becomes the next president of the United States makes climate change mitigation and adaptation a priority. This means moving away from fossil fuels as part of our energy plan – saying NO to fracking and natural gas, NO to Coal, NO to oil. Ending subsidies to oil and gas companies and saying Yes to helping renewable energy companies – wind, solar and geothermal – grow.

After having our power go out twice last year and at least once almost every year since we have lived in our current home, a month ago we installed a back up generator which will keep some of our power on if our electric grid goes down. Yes and full disclosure it is a gas powered generator – why is it that there are so many options for back up GAS generators but I haven’t been able to find a solar set up – any suggestions? I have reminded my friends and family about our back up generator, in case they need a warm, lighted place to come to in the storm. On many days I feel a bit like “Sarah Connors” from the Terminator movies, although I have definitely much to learn in this regard.

We can’t continue to keep our heads buried in the sand. Not only is “Hurricane Sandy” coming this way, – although hopefully with a much less powerful punch then some are predicting – a changing climate is already here and we in the US need to accept it, “OWN IT” and do something about it while we still can and BEFORE we lock our children and their children into a world of extreme weather events that they can’t change.

Yours,

Climate Mama

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Posted in Disasters, In The News, Nature | 2 Comments »

Toxins Lurking in our Homes – Keeping our Air Clean and Our Children Safe

Friday, March 16th, 2012


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As parents, we all try our best to give our kids healthy foods (with only the occasional “fall from the wagon” for junk food and candy!!) We also do whatever we can to keep our kids in healthy environments, particularly when it come to things we can control, like what comes in and out of our own homes. But our question to you, is this something that is REALLY in our control?

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

How can we control, clean up and limit the toxins that are in the air that our children breath, and that come into our homes every time we open the windows or doors. These toxins settle on our children’s clothes, on their shoes, and lurk in the air our children breath, regardless of what we try to do to try to keep these toxins out and our kids safe…We often believe and trust blindly that our government is working to create and enforce the laws we need that will help us protect our children and clean up the air that they breath…but in REALITY is our government enforcing these laws and doing all they can to help us keep our children safe, or are there “forces” out there that are stopping this from happening….?!

Did you know that here in the USA:

The Clean Air Act, was established in 1970, and is the law that defines the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation’s air quality. The last major change in the law was the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. However, many of these changes, from 1990, have yet to be enacted! Certain industries have lobbied for one extension after another in the name of “not hindering economic growth”…regardless of the actual costs to our health, welfare and to our ECONOMY because of the damages of not enacting these rules…!!

One air toxin in particular that these 1990 rules were intended to address is mercury, a “neurotoxin” that can damage children’s developing brains, cause a build up of methyl mercury in fish that then can also build up in women of childbearing age and impact fetal development. Other toxic chemicals and fine particle contamination that these 1990 amendments where intended to address include: arsenic, chromium and nickel that can cause cancer, lung damage and contribute to asthma and bronchial ailments.

In 1990, more than two-thirds of U.S. anthropogenic (human caused)

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

mercury emissions came from three source categories: coal fired power plants, municipal waste combustion and medical waste incineration. According to the EPA, emissions reduction programs have been complied with successfully from the last 2 sources of emissions which have reduced their mercury emissions by more then 95% since 1990. However, many coal fired power plants continue to fight these rules and have refused to comply with them.

In the year 2000, the EPA issued a scientific and legal determination that it was “appropriate and necessary” to control mercury emissions from power plants. This legal determination also stated that the EPA was REQUIRED to develop standards that follow the law and the SCIENCE in order to protect human health and the environment. Finally, in December 2011, these standards were adopted.

According to the EPA, these standards, know as the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) are expected to avert up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks every year. In addition, the EPA tells us that “the value of these air quality improvement for people’s health ALONE totals $37-$90 billion each year; which means that for every dollar spent to reduce this pollution, Americans will get $3-$9 BACK in health benefits.” MATS will be the FIRST time that the federal government has enforced limits on mercury and other poisonous and cancer causing chemicals produced through the burning of fossil fuels.

As parents, we need to stand up and support these rules and THEIR ENFORCEMENT. As well, it’s time that not only coal fired power plants but all oil and gas producers are made to pay the full cost of being allowed to pollute. We need to stop allowing our air to be used as a sewer, free of charge. We need to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry as well. Just because we can’t see the pollutants entering our air, we know and see the effects of these pollutants in many ways, not least of which we witness first hand, IN OUR HOMES as our children suffer from increased breathing problems associated with asthma and allergies, which health officials and scientists tell us are triggered by these pollutants in the air directly, as well as indirectly through their impact in changing our climate, which is exacerbating these respiratory ailments as well.

As parents, we need to start “drawing the line” in the sand somewhere. One place to start is to support what the government is trying to do to enforce rules that are more then 20 years old that would help clean up our air and our environment. Make your voice heard on MATS. Don’t let industry try to weaken these standards that will benefit our economy, our environment and our and our children’s health.

Learn more, speak out, Sign the Moms Clean Air Force Petition today! To learn more about putting a cost on carbon, check out the Citizens Climate Lobby and the Save our Climate Act. Tune in on Monday, March 19th to listen to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and MomsRising at BlogTalk Radio where some of this will be discussed!

This post is inspired by Lori at Groovy Green Livin and is written in solidarity with all the participants in this months Green Moms Carnival. Please check out the Carnival, where you will find many wonderful and important ideas on other ways, products and opportunities to keep toxins out of your home!

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Posted in Climate Mama News, Green Moms Carnival, Health & Fitness, In The News, Take a Stand: Action & Advocacy | No Comments »

Asthma, Allergies and Fighting for Clean Air for My Children

Friday, March 9th, 2012


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What is the connection between the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that would carry Tar Sands Oil from Alberta, Canada to Texas, and my children’s health? And why would I not only risk arrest to stop this pipeline from being build, but actually allow myself to get arrested?

As a mom, my children come first, and when I became a parent I made the choice and the commitment to do whatever it takes to keep my children safe. Politics and big business are now threatening my children’s health and I will do anything to protect them, including getting arrested if that’s what it takes. The Keystone XL pipeline has become a “rallying cry” and an example of a David and Goliath battle, pitting moms, dads and regular people who are fighting for clean air and a clean and renewable energy future, against politics, perpetuating the status quo and $$$. The latest “battle” was fought on March 8th, International Women’s Day on the Senate floor. The battle was won, the pipeline postponed but the war is waging and the outcome for my children’s health and future remains uncertain!

My son suffers terribly from seasonal allergies; as well he is extremely allergic to poison ivy, something that is prolific in my neighborhood. Doctors are telling us that seasonal allergies are on the rise, and that poison ivy is lasting longer and appearing later into the fall and earlier in the spring. Scientists are noticing too, and are looking more closely at the links between climate change and public health.

My son’s allergies require him to take countless allergy medications, that mask some but not all of his symptoms. He loves fall soccer and spring lacrosse, but everyday he plays, he pays the price for being outside. Also, each fall and spring it seems we take a trip to the doctor, for stronger medicine than we can get over the counter to treat his annual and reoccurring reactions to poison ivy. We joke that he is “allergic to New Jersey,” unfortunately it’s not a joke and we see his suffering, and his allergies getting worse and worse every year.

According to studies published by the US National Library of Medicine, the US Department of Agriculture, and researchers at Harvard and Duke universities, increases in carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas that in its “manmade” form is the number one contributing factor to climate

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

change – is aggravating allergies and worsening the toxicity levels of poison ivy. High CO2 levels were shown to produce more allergenic forms of urushiol, the toxin in poison ivy that makes you itch.

Also, ragweed, a common cause of seasonal allergies in adults and children, produces “super charged and more potent” pollen with increases of CO2, causing more sneezing and asthma like symptoms. Studies are also pointing out that this CO2 laden pollen is more allergenic then other forms of pollen.

The USDA found that “jumping from pre-industrial atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (280ppm) to 1999 levels (370ppm) doubled the amount of pollen that ragweed produces. At the end of 2011, CO2 was at 392 ppm and rising….! And according to Rodale.com, “Allergies account for about half of asthma attack triggers, meaning skyrocketing pollen counts of fast-growing trees in the spring and ragweed in the fall are landing more people in the hospital for asthma symptoms.”

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

For my children’s health and for their future I have “drawn my line in the sand” and I am asking our President to stand with me and help me fight for my children’s health and for their future. This proposed pipeline is one giant “nail in the coffin” perpetuating our dependence on fossil fuels and slowing down our move to a carbon free energy future; a necessity to ensure cleaner air for my children to breath.

This post is part of a Momsrising.org Blog Carnival. It is a lead in to a Talk Radio discussion, “Mom to Mom the Controversy of Clean Air” with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson which will take place on March 19th. Join the discussion! This post contains information first published by ClimateMama in August 2011. For information and many ways you too can fight for clean air for our children’s health, join Moms Clean Air Force and MomsRising.

Follow current campaigns against the pipeline and for policies to fight climate change at TarSandsAction and 350.org. Check back often at our ClimateMama blog for updates on parents “acting out for our planet” and follow us on twitter @climatemama.

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Posted in Climate Mama News, In The News, Politics, Take a Stand: Action & Advocacy | 2 Comments »

Keep Climate Denial OUT of our Schools: Heartland Institute Scandal

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012


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Join Maggie Fox, President and CEO of The Climate Reality Project as she shares with us a recently uncovered plan by the Heartland Institute to try to get “climate change denial” taught in our schools! Watch this great Climate Reality video with the kids in your life. Sign the PETITION as a family! Show your kids that we CAN help change the world by speaking out, taking a stand to support REALITY and challenging untruths! (The following post and video are “re-posted” with permission from The Climate Reality Project.)

Do you think schools should teach our children that climate change isn’t real?


Of course not. But the Heartland Institute, an organization well-known for giving a microphone to climate science deniers, now wants to bring this false message into America’s classrooms.

As their President and CEO just admitted, they are writing a “global warming curriculum” that would say climate science isn’t settled. They’d like our teachers to claim we just don’t know if humans are changing our climate.

This plan is outrageous on its face. As you well know, the science behind climate change is not controversial — it is a reality. Scientists know that climate change is happening, and we are beginning to see the impacts with our own eyes. It would be the height of irresponsibility to urge our schools to teach something known to be untrue.

As its own budget documents reveal, the Heartland Institute is funded by oil and coal companies with a financial interest in denying climate science. But I think you’ll agree this industry-funded propaganda has no place in our schools.

Fortunately, one brave high school student is asking the Heartland Institute to stop. Corey Husic is writing to the group to say there is no place for a climate denial curriculum. He is asking that Heartland immediately “cease and desist” its plan to bring climate denial into our schools. And today, I invite you to sign this petition as well.

It’s time we move on from this false debate over climate science and engage in a much more fruitful and educational discussion over what we can do to solve the climate crisis.

We’ve created a short video to help you learn more about this urgent issue. I encourage you watch this video now, and sign the petition to keep climate reality in America’s science classrooms.

Maggie Fox, President and CEO of The Climate Reality Project

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Posted in In The News, Schools and Colleges, Science, Take a Stand: Action & Advocacy | 2 Comments »

Welcome to Climate Mama

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You are a mother, a father, a grandparent, an uncle, an aunt, a teacher or a child at heart. When you hear the Native American saying, “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”, it makes you stop for a moment and think. You love nature, travel, adventure and believing in a world that is special and unique. Climate change and global warming are words that alarm you, that often seem too big to get your arms around. You care about what’s happening to the world and notice small changes in your own life that seem to point in the direction of a threatened environment. But you wonder if these changes are real, and if they are you can’t imagine what you can do to help change what is happening.

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Climate Mamas and Papas

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Climate Change so often seems too big to get our hands around. We wonder where we can start and how we can actually make a difference. Each one of us has a different path that we will follow. Some of us cut a wider swath than others, but each of us has a role to play. We would like to introduce you to some amazing individuals, Climate Mamas and Papas who are making a difference, who are, through their daily lives, affecting the lives of all of us. They inspire us, empower us, and challenge us to reach for the stars, to strive to do the best we can to help change the crash course we are currently on with our environment. Lets meet some of these amazing people and find out what inspires them. Meet our featured Climate Mama, Desiree Di Mauro today!

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Featured Partner & Campaigns

 

The Climate Reality Project is one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to mobilizing action around climate change. With a global movement that is more than 2 million strong and a grassroots network of trained Climate Leaders, Climate Reality is "spreading the truth and unleashing the cultural momentum to solve the climate crisis."

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