Yes, we can control the (theoretical) climate!
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Dear Leading Ladies,
At last week’s kNOw MORE! Zoom discussion, climate scientist Dr. Tamara Ledley introduced us to the En-ROADS Climate Change Solutions Simulator which allows any user to manipulate the variables influencing climate and see what changes can yield significant results. Co-developed by Climate Interactive, Ventana Systems, and MIT Sloan, the simulator has been used by corporations, legislators, community groups, and individuals.
We encourage you to log onto the simulator and spend some time playing around with different scenarios. Keep in mind that the Paris Agreement commits all major emitting nations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in order to avoid planet disaster, with a further goal of lowering to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the level several island nations insist is necessary for them to survive. On the simulator, you can change sources of energy, means of transportation, land and industry emissions, carbon removal levels, and see how they affect overall emission levels.
Then, pass the information about the simulator on to friends and colleagues. Encourage them to consider the possibilities for solving our climate challenges. Also, if you have contacts in your children’s or grandchildren’s schools, talk to them about inviting an ambassador from En-ROADS to do a workshop with students. Dr. Ledley, who teaches at Bentley College, believes that educating our young is the key to succeeding in battling climate change. When children are taught at school about the realities of the fragile environment and they learn to adopt more eco-friendly behaviors, they develop a different mindset than their elders. They bring all that home and actually influence the older generation.
Take a Climate Literacy Quiz
As another exercise, we found a good climate literacy quiz to test our knowledge. It gives explanations for both correct and incorrect responses. We found the quiz another great jumping off point for discussion with family and friends. A second quiz, if you are really into this, is a little different and also very informative.
As Dr. Ledley told us, the solutions are complicated. One action will not solve all the problems; some combination will be necessary. Engage your whole family in the exercise; compare the solutions you come up with and discuss which scenarios you think are most likely to succeed, taking into account big business, political realities, and more.
Finally, we recommend a questionnaire to assess our personal carbon footprint. While we understand that more than individual changes in our behavior are needed to curb climate warming, we agree with Dr. Ledley that increased awareness and responsible actions can lead to a collective mindset change that will demand the legislative and corporate action that is necessary. This carbon footprint assessment is informative and eye-opening, but we warn that it ends with an enticement to offset your carbon footprint by donating to energy saving projects around the world. While these causes are worthy, let's be clear. Donations to them do not erase or undo our actions that produce destructive emissions, as the website suggests.
We found the stimulator and two questionnaires inspired us to think about new ways that Leading Ladies can engage in positive action around the issue of climate warming. Let us know what you think and share your ideas with us at ladies@leadingladiesvote.org.
This week, we recommend you watch
Turn off the lights but turn on the hope!
Therese Melden
Judy Klein
Mary Barthelmes
Beth Forbes
Ladies@leadingladiesvote.org
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