[TheClimate.Vote] September 12, 2017 - Daily Global Warming News
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Tue Sep 12 09:51:45 EDT 2017
/September 12, 2017/
*Pruitt: 'Opportunistic' And 'Misplaced' To Tie Harvey To Climate Change
<http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/pruitt-opportunistic-misplaced-hurricane-harvey-climate-change>*
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/pruitt-opportunistic-misplaced-hurricane-harvey-climate-change
BBC News *Hurricane Irma: Pope Francis condemns climate change sceptics
<http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41231288>*
The pontiff said the recent storms meant the effects of climate change
could be seen "with your own eyes".
There have been four major Atlantic hurricanes in less than three weeks.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41231288
*Sunday Shows Largely Fail To Mention Climate Change In Hurricane Irma
Coverage
<https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/09/10/sunday-shows-largely-fail-mention-climate-change-hurricane-irma-coverage/217895>*
Media Matters Dina Radtke
CNN's State of the Union was the only Sunday morning political show to
mention climate change when discussing Irma
Three out of four* major Sunday morning political programs neglected to
discuss climate change during their coverage of Hurricane Irma, the
second category four hurricane to hit the United States in a matter of
weeks.
As Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean and approached Florida,
Sunday morning political news programs reported on the storm's
remarkable strength and size and the potential damage it could cause,
but three major Sunday shows -- Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday,
CBS' Face the Nation, and ABC's This Week - failed to mention the
effects of climate change during their coverage of the storm, even
though experts have linked extreme weather events, including Irma, to
global warming.
The only Sunday morning political show to discuss climate change was
CNN's State of the Union. During an interview with Sen. John McCain
(R-AZ), host Jake Tapper said, "I would be remiss if I didn't mention,
the fact that many experts say that the storm is more intense because of
climate change" and asked why many Republicans "act as if it's not real,
even though the overwhelming scientific consensus is that it's real, and
it's man-made":
[see video on page]
Television news programs have repeatedly avoided discussing climate
change in their coverage of devastating natural disasters, including
Hurricane Harvey. The reluctance to discuss climate change on this
week's Sunday news shows follows a pattern that seems to be getting even
worse.
Methodology
Media Matters searched SnapStream for discussions of climate change and
global warming using the search terms "climate change" or "global
warming" on Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, CBS' Face the
Nation, and ABC's This Week, and CNN's State of the Union. Segments were
counted if climate change or global warming was discussed in reporting
on Hurricane Irma.
*NBC's Meet the Press was not included because the show was preempted
for Hurricane Irma coverage.
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/09/10/sunday-shows-largely-fail-mention-climate-change-hurricane-irma-coverage/217895
/
(Dharma [Hinduism & Buddhism] the basic principles of cosmic or
individual existence : divine law : conformity to one's duty and nature.)/
*The Earth as Witness: International Dharma Teachers' Statement on
Climate Change
<https://oneearthsangha.org/articles/dharma-teachers-statement-on-climate-change/>*/
A group of Dharma teachers from Africa, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the
U.S. have issued a statement describing core Buddhist insights into the
root causes of the climate crisis and ways to minimize its potentially
tragic consequences. Over 100 leading Dharma teachers from around the
globe have already signed it. The teachers seek the endorsement of the
statement by other Dharma teachers as well as Sangha members worldwide. /*
The Earth As Witness: International Dharma Teachers' Statement on
Climate Change*
As a starting point, the Dharma states that to formulate meaningful
solutions to any problem we must first acknowledge the truth of our
suffering. As shocking and painful as it may be, we must recognize that
without swift and dramatic reductions in fossil fuel use and major
efforts to increase carbon sequestration, global temperatures will rise
close to or beyond 2 degrees C. This increase will lead to injury and
death for millions of people worldwide and the extinction of many of the
Earth's species. Millions more will experience severe trauma and stress
that threaten their physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing.
These stresses will, in turn, trigger social and political unrest. In a
grave injustice, low-income communities, poor nations, and people
systematically subjected to oppression and discrimination, who
contributed little to climate change, will initially be harmed the most.
Even worse, as frightening as it is, if we fail to make fundamental
changes in our energy, manufacturing, transportation, forestry,
agricultural, and other systems along with our consumption patterns with
utmost urgency, in mere decades irreversible climate shifts will occur
that undermine the very pillars of human civilization. Only by
recognizing these truths can we adopt a meaningful path toward solutions.
The Dharma teaches us the origin of our suffering. The majority of the
world's climate scientists are unequivocal that on the external physical
plane climate change is caused by the historic and ongoing use of fossil
fuels and the greenhouse gases they generate when burned. Destructive
land management practices such as clearing forests also contribute by
reducing nature's capacity to sequester carbon. The Dharma informs us,
however, that craving, aversion, and delusion within the human mind are
the root causes of vast human suffering. Just as these mental factors
have throughout history led to the oppression, abuse, and exploitation
of indigenous peoples and others outside the halls of wealth and power,
craving, aversion, and delusion are also the root causes of climate
change. Climate change is perhaps humanity's greatest teacher yet about
how these mental forces, when unchecked in ourselves and our
institutions, cause harm to other people and the living environment. Led
by industrialized nations, the desire for evermore material wealth and
power has resulted in the reckless destruction of land and water,
excessive use of fossil fuels, massive amounts of solid and toxic waste,
and other practices that are disrupting the Earth's climate. However, by
acknowledging and addressing these internal mental drivers, we can begin
to resolve the external causes of climate change.
The Dharma offers hope by teaching us that it is possible to overcome
the detrimental forces of craving, aversion, and delusion. We can use
the climate crisis as a catalyst to acknowledge the consequences of our
craving for more and more material wealth and the pursuit of power and
realize we must change our assumptions, attitudes, and behaviors. We can
use the climate crisis as a catalyst to educate ourselves about
planetary processes so we understand that the Earth has ecological
limits and thresholds that must not be crossed. By learning from our
mistaken beliefs and activities, we can create more equitable,
compassionate, and mindful societies that generate greater individual
and collective wellbeing while reducing climate change to manageable levels.
Finally, the Dharma describes a pathway of principles and practices we
can follow to minimize climate change and the suffering it causes.
*The first principle is wisdom. *From this point forward in history we
must all acknowledge not only the external causes of climate change, but
the internal mental drivers as well, and their horrific consequences. To
be wise we must also, individually and as a society, adopt the firm
intention to do whatever is necessary, no matter what the cost, to
reduce the climate crisis to manageable levels and over time
re-stabilize our planet's climate.
*The second Dharma principle is ethical conduct,* which is rooted in a
compassionate concern for all living beings in the vast web of life. We
need to make a firm moral commitment to adopt ways of living that
protect the climate and help restore the Earth's ecosystems and living
organisms. In our personal lives, we should recognize the value of
contentment and sufficiency and realize that, after a certain modest
level, additional consumption, material wealth, and power will not bring
happiness. To fulfill our wider moral responsibility, we must join with
others, stand up to the vested interests that oppose change, and demand
that our economic, social, and political institutions be fundamentally
altered so they protect the climate and offer nurturance and support for
all of humanity in a just and equitable manner. We must insist that
governments and corporations contribute to a stable climate and a
healthy environment for all people and cultures worldwide, now and in
the future. We must further insist that specific scientifically credible
global emission reduction targets be set and means adopted to
effectively monitor and enforce them.
*The third Dharma training, and the one that makes all of the others
possible, is mindfulness. *This offers a way to heighten our awareness
of, and then to regulate, our desires and emotions and the thoughts and
behaviors they generate. By continually enhancing our awareness, we can
increasingly notice when we are causing harm to others, the climate, or
ourselves, and strengthen our capacity to rapidly shift gears and think
and act constructively. Mindfulness increases awareness of our inherent
interdependency with other people and the natural environment and of
values that enhance human dignity rather than subordinate people,
animals, and nature to the craving for more material wealth and power....
https://oneearthsangha.org/articles/dharma-teachers-statement-on-climate-change/
Key findings from our *"Mental Health and Our Changing Climate"
Report,
<http://ecoamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ea-apa-psych-report-web.pdf.>*published
earlier this year by ecoAmerica in collaboration with leading
psychologists and the American Psychological Association
The full report is here
http://ecoamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ea-apa-psych-report-web.pdf.
These key tips from the report focus on supporting individual mental
health.
*KEY TAKEAWAYS*
In order to support individuals' success in becoming resilient, the
following are tips to consider that address personal attributes and
support social cohesion:
1. Build belief in one's own resilience.
2. Foster optimism.
3. Cultivate active coping and self-regulation.
4. Find a source of personal meaning.
5. Boost personal preparedness.
6. Support social networks.
7. Encourage connection to parents, family, and other role models.
8. Uphold connection to place.
9. Maintain connections to one's culture.
We encourage you to make use of these recommendations, and link to the
report, in your communications about the Hurricanes (they are relevant,
too, for the earthquake in Chiapas). There are also recommendations for
supporting and building resilience at the community level.
We hope you are safe or getting the help you need during this
challenging time of heavy climate impact.
Excerpt of pages 42 -44 of ecoAmerica's "Mental Health and Our Changing
Climate"
*TIPS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS*
Some people seem to function more effectively in difficult situations
than others do. No single factor sets highly resilient individuals
apart (Bonanno & Diminich, 2013). Instead, an individual's ability to
recover from trauma, or to experience post- traumatic growth, depends
on a complex and dynamic set of factors. Here, we provide tips on the
factors of personal attributes and social support designed to help
practitioners, policymakers, and communicators support individuals'
success in becoming resilient.
*PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND ACTIONS *
*1. Build belief in one's own resilience.* Several personal
dispositional characteristics are associated with individual resilience.
People who feel positive about their ability to overcome a source of
stress and trauma do better than people with lower self-efficacy. Belief
in one's own resilience has been correlated with fewer symptoms of PTSD
and depression after disasters (Shenesey & Langhirichsen-Rohling, 2015).
*2. Foster optimism.* People who are able to reframe and find something
positive in their circumstances tend to do better than people who are
less able to regulate their thinking, emotions, and actions (Bonanno &
Diminich, 2013; Hanbury et al., 2013; Harper & Pergament, 2015;
Iacoviello & Charney, 2014; Petrasek Macdonald, Ford, Cunsolo Willox, &
Ross, 2013; Prince-Embury, 2013). Positively reappraising one's
circumstances helps move one forward rather than becoming stuck in a
cycle of negative emotions. Additionally, optimism likely contributes to
a person's ability to feel positive emotions during a hard time, which
may help people better recover and cope (Terpstra, 2011). In a study of
low-income mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina, Lowe et al. (2013)
found that optimism helped the mothers adjust and grow after a disaster.
Of course, excessive optimism may result in disappointment or surprise
if the expected outcome does not come to pass; therefore, the right
balance is needed.
*3. Cultivate active coping and self-regulation. * Another strength is
active coping, which involves cognitive dimensions, such as maintaining
an awareness of one's own thoughts and appraisals, and behavioral
dimensions, such as continuously seeking solutions and support
(Iacoviello & Charney, 2014). Self-regulation, or the ability to control
one's immediate impulses in favor of a more considered, long-term
strategy, is another characteristic of resilient individuals (National
Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2015).
*4. Find a source of personal meaning. *Involvement in a faith community
has been cited as a protective factor for mental health in several
interview studies with people experiencing trauma (e.g., Cline, Orom,
Child, Hernandez, & Black, 2015; Fernando, 2012; Harper & Pargament,
2015; Weine et al., 2014). For many, faith gives a sense of peace during
difficulty (Marks, Hatch, Lu, & Cherry, 2015), and studies have shown
that having a spiritual practice tends to boost an individual's
well-being and can be an important coping resource. In addition to the
social support that is often provided by a faith community, having a
spiritual practice can help people manage and find meaning in suffering
during significant adversity (Ramsay & Manderson, 2011). Mindfulness can
be another type of practice, through yoga and meditation, that gives
people a greater sense of purpose and meaning (Garland, Farb, Goldin, &
Fredrickson, 2015). In each case, the ability to flexibly reappraise
adverse events in a way that enhances a sense of meaning is key for
promoting personal well-being.
*5. Boost personal preparedness.* Mental health can be incorporated
into existing disaster preparation efforts. Recommendations for
short-term disaster or emergency kits often include things like food,
water, supplies, and medication. Yet items that can preserve and shore
up mental health are also equally important to include (Missouri
Department of Mental Health, 2006). These items might include comfort
items, such as spiritual or religious objects, pictures, blankets and
toys for small children, favorite foods or treats to supplement stable
shelf food, recreational items such as books and games, and paper and
writing instruments to journal or write down important information.
Pets, which also provide some with a sense of comfort, must also be
considered when making emergency kits and plans (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2016; American Red Cross, 2017). Public agencies
and other organizations may also want to encourage community members to
incorporate these items into their disaster preparation kits. Other
facets of preparedness, including family, neighborhood, school, and work
response plans and other measures, can help increase confidence and the
feeling of safety and reduce fear.
*SOCIAL CONNECTION*
*6. Support social networks.* Individuals' personal capacity to
withstand trauma is increased when they are connected to their networks
off-and online. One strategy frequently noted in resilience studies is
cultivating and maintaining strong social connections (Iacoviello &
Charney, 2014). Connectedness to others is a core psychological need and
an essential foundation for well-being (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 2011). During
difficult times, people turn to those they are close to, such as family,
friends, and neighbors, for emotional support, as well as material help
(e.g., money, food, or a temporary place to stay). Resilience scholars
note that social support is a critical protective resource during
adversity (Kaniasty, 2012). Researchers have found that higher levels of
social support during and in the aftermath of a disaster are associated
with lower rates of psychological distress (Greene, Paranjothy, &
Palmer, 2015; Self-Brown, Anderson, Edwards, & McGill, 2013). The
positive mental health impact of a strong social support system, or the
negative impacts of lower social support, can persist for years after a
disaster, such as a hurricane (Banks & Weems, 2014). As described above,
a faith community, or any other tight-knit and supportive social
network, can provide significant emotional and material support (Cain &
Barthelemy, 2008; Marks et al., 2015). People living in areas most
impacted by Hurricane Katrina reported in an interview study that their
"church family" (p. 256) offered them a listening ear, empathy, and
moral support in the extremely difficult aftermath of the hurricane
(Marks et al., 2015).
*7. Encourage connection with parents, family, and other role models.
*The supportof family and close connections are particularly important
for children. Parents are likely the most central source of support for
children during trauma and adversity, and children are at higher risk of
long-term physiological and mental health stress burdens when parents
themselves suffer acute levels of distress (Simpson et al., 2011; Weine
et al., 2014). Petrasek MacDonald et al. (2015) reported that spending
time with family and friends helps protect the mental health of youth
enduring the impacts of climate change on their land and environment.
Parents and caregivers also serve as buffer against trauma and protect
children from neglect and abuse by providing necessities, such as
shelter and food (Kousky, 2016).
Support for children can come from outside the family as well. The
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2015) found that
children and youth optimize resilience during adversity if they have
the help of non-caregiver role models, such as teachers or coaches.
These role models are especially important following natural disaster
events. Children look to parents and other caregivers as models in
managing their emotions. Effective coping strategies should be taught
during this time, such as encouraging children to talk about the event
or turning to other resilient communities that have endured natural
disasters and recovered (Lazarus, Jimerson, & Brock, 2002). Support
networks, such as the National Alliance on Mental Health's Parents and
Teachers as Allies program, can help these role models identify children
with mental illness and relay the proper resources to parents.
*8. When possible, uphold connection to place. *As climate change alters
the landscape,it also forces change upon cultures tied to the land. As
already noted, indigenous communities are experiencing rapid cultural
change as the climate warms and makes many traditional cultural
practices difficult. Research in affected communities indicates that
people do not wish to leave their homes, despite the changes they may
experience (e.g., Cunsolo Willox et al., 2012). Staying in a place to
which one feels connected can increase resilience because people are
more likely to take adaptive actions, such as preparing for flooding
(Adger et al., 2013).
*9. Maintain connections to one's culture. *New immigrant and refugee
communities are another vulnerable group whose mental health benefits
from a connection to culture, especially during adversity. Weine et al.
(2014) interviewed Burundian and Liberian refugees, many of whom were
adolescents who had recently moved to the United States. The authors
noted family cohesion, participation in religious traditions, and
cultural connectedness were resources that protected individuals' mental
health during difficult times. Refugees may find it particularly
important to maintain cultural connections as their homes have been
disrupted (Fullilove, 2013).
http://ecoamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ea-apa-psych-report-web.pdf.
*(poetic irony) Miss North Dakota Cara Mund crowned new Miss America
<https://www.cbsnews.com/news/miss-america-2017-north-dakota-cara-mund-wins/>*
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- North Dakota's Cara Mund ...In one of her onstage
interviews,*Mund said President Trump, a Republican, was wrong to
withdraw the U.S. from the climate accord aimed at reducing greenhouse
gas emissions that contribute to global warming.*
"It's a bad decision," she said. "There is evidence that climate change
is existing and we need to be at that table."
In an interview with The Associated Press before preliminary competition
began, Mund, who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, said her goal is to be
the first woman elected governor of her state.
She said she wants to see more women elected to all levels of government.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/miss-america-2017-north-dakota-cara-mund-wins/
*
**(sarcasm) The Onion Hurricane Irma Most Powerful Atlantic Storm In
History
<http://www.theonion.com/americanvoices/hurricane-irma-most-powerful-atlantic-storm-histor-56887>*
With winds of over 150 mph, Hurricane Irma is now the most powerful
Atlantic Ocean storm in recorded history. What do you think?
"This is a huge stride for female-named storms of all kinds."
Lauren Clancy
INVENTORY COUNTER
"I hope it enjoys its week at the top."
Jeremy Enright
LENTIL GROWER
"Wow. Just imagine how bad an even worse storm would be."
Luke Silha
BALMIST
*This Day in Climate History September 12, 2007
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091202391.html>
- from D.R. Tucker*
September 12, 2007: US District Judge William Sessions III issues a
240-page decision upholding Vermont's right to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions from vehicles.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091202391.html/
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