Tuesday August 6th… Dear Diary. The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track United States extreme or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Allegoric Excerpt From World Of Thermo On The Intersection Of The Climate Crisis And Hate
Before U.S. July climate statistics come out later this week, which I will detail, I’m going to present a very different post than my normal fare. The United States is reeling this week from two incidents of mass shootings, both done by deranged young men, and one we know of which has directly been tied to white supremist doctrine. So what does this have to do with the issue of the climate crisis? Upon face value nothing, but digging deep into the weeds of the issue, plenty. I wrote about “climate stress” brought about by societal friction from what we suspect is more migration due to more drought in Central America Sunday:
Here is a link for the first World of Thermo Book, which is a climate and weather primer for ages 8-12. This author would appreciate some support via a purchase:
https://www.amazon.com/World-Thermo-Thermometer-Guy-Walton/dp/1724917269
I’m currently trying to complete the manuscript for “Carbonated,” which is the second book in the World of Thermo series I hope to publish. These books also introduce to young, malleable minds morality, showing why some people gravitate towards greed and vice, thereby delaying any mitigation to prevent the climate crisis from being any worse than it already is in 2019. These greedy people (represented allegorically by my protagonist Carbo) manipulate more ignorant souls in order to achieve their goals of digging up more coal and drilling oil for profit.
I’m walking a fine line here, though, without trying to be too preachy with my writing for such a young audience. Also, I’m trying to introduce the very concept of national politics to young minds. Perhaps you, the reader of this post, have some constructive comments for any further revisions to this World of Thermo…Carbonated chapter about the 2016 election:
Story 34. A Candidate After Carbo’s Own Heart
“Toasty, that is a marvelous idea! These humans are so tribal. They love to congregate in groups that look and act similarly. Remember when President Bert Clatax was about to close the Kyoto deal in Congress in the 1990s? We convinced one tribe that climate change was not a problem. Also, remember, Katrina was blamed on hurting the poor more than the rich. Now Bert’s wife, Helen Clatax, wants to be President, and,” Carbo paused, gulping, “she wants to help pull the U.S toward green energy. The U.S. political system is now split between those on the left who think that carbon pollution is dangerous, and those on the right who, through some of our manipulation, think that it is good for the planet. Our friend Donatello Tweet is losing the 2016 election. I bet Thorpe can help us with Keystone Pipeline. Tweet can also help Russia to drill for oil in the Arctic.”
Toasty quickly agreed this was a dastardly good plan. Though pleased, Carbo was impatient to get started. “Well, what are you waiting for. Get going and attend some Donatello Tweet rallies. That candidate has the most tribal message I have come across in decades,” ordered a nastily confident Carbo.
It did not take long for Toasty and several other minions to find their first willing, easily-swayed victims. The group of molecules spied a group of humans who hated President Otiena outside of a Tweet rally in early 2016. The molecules focused on the weakest minds, reinforcing the intensity of their mood against “the other” to encourage voting for Tweet.
With time and the manipulation of malevolent molecules, human tribes pitted against one another during a contentious and controversial election cycle. By November 2016, the Tweet side played right into Carbo’s nonexistent hands, becoming convinced that climate science, as well as many environmental regulations, should not get funding and be rolled back.
After Tweet’s surprise election win over Helen Clatax, the twin policies of burn baby burn and drill baby drill were renewed. Another climate agreement, the Paris Accords, was in jeopardy. Environmentalists like Doria and Philip from Greenthink were perplexed and appalled at the election’s outcome – and its implications going forward.
…………………………………………………………….
Our fictional story broadly mirrors events in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Hillary Clinton aka Helen Clatax lost to Donald Trump aka Donatello Tweet. Science and facts were and are ongoing casualties of this saga. I fear that because of Trump’s election, previously open minds – open to learning, to facts, to science – are closing. This is why sustained education is the key to winning the climate war.
Dr. Michael Mann is no stranger to the intersection of climate and the politics of hate, fear, race, and yes guns. As far as this tragic week goes here is some of what I am seeing from his Twitter feed:
David Hogg, who many may remember is an educated young man from a Florida mass shooting site that has embraced gun politics, states this:
Enough stated. Those of us who are more progressive, educated types are better suited to deal with a rapidly changing world from climate change. Education is key to prevent young people from going to the “dark side,” helping them to deal with the climate crisis, gun violence, racism, and all other issues as they grow into adults having to navigate through an ever more complicated world.
P.S.:
Here is more climate and weather news from Tuesday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article.)
(If you like these posts and my work please contribute via the PayPal widget, which has recently been added to this site. Thanks in advance for any support.)
Guy Walton- “The Climate Guy”