Bright Ideas No. 38
A BETTER WORLD
BRIGHT IDEA: Help Children Prepare for the Future
Rather than preparing children for the workforce or to reach higher standards of living than their parents, they need our support in cultivating the resilience and resistance necessary to face the toughest challenge ever – climate collapse.
Young people feel they’ve been betrayed by older generations – something that must be repaired. They know the stakes and mourn the injustice. We need to supply them with the means to act on their feelings and avoid being crushed by the weight of the world. Truth is critical to the process.
Teenagers have come of age knowing the world is going to overshoot 1.5 degrees of warming – maybe even two. And they have every reason to fight for every fraction of a degree. To support these kids as they face an endangered world requires us, as adults, to rediscover our optimism and reengage in the fight. If it takes a village to raise a child, holistic, heartfelt climate education could change the village itself.
BRIGHT IDEA: Check Out Our Legislature’s Accomplishments
NRCM (National Resources Council of Maine) recently released its 2022 report card for Maine’s Environment. A legislative session that began with only modest expectations proved to be much more productive than expected. The accomplishments include:
- More protection of wild places, rivers, and streams.
- A major investment in climate education.
- Launching the Maine Climate Corps.
- Some new standards on plastic bottle recycling.
Unfortunately, a bill that would have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional investment in renewable energy failed to pass. But $3.5 million to Efficiency Maine for its EV incentive program will boost ownership of electric vehicles throughout the state.
BRIGHT IDEA: Protect Nature Because It Makes Us Happy
If you’ve been out hiking, hunting, camping, or canoeing, you know that nature enriches our lives by providing opportunities for us to connect with each other and the places we care about. Research finds that spending time in nature tends to reduce blood pressure, lower hormones related to stress and anxiety, decrease the probability of depression, and improve cognitive function. Those exposed to nature fare better than others who take part in similar activities in non-natural settings.
Unfortunately, according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), nature itself is threatened with over 40,000 animals, fungi, and plants at risk of extinction. The leaders of most major religions speak of a moral responsibility to care for God’s creation. Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “On Care for Our Common Home” is a case in point. It urges us to be good stewards of Earth by conserving its ecosystems and living creatures for the good of all.
Credits
- “We’re Failing to Prepare Our Children for the Climate Fight,” Eleanor Cummins, April 13, 2022.
- “Should We Protect Nature for its Own Sake?” Bradley J. Cardinale, June 2, 2022.
Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland Climate Action Team which meets monthly on the 4th Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join in. FMI: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.
