Getting It Right

CLIMATE CHANGE, somehow, doesn't really seem real. Maybe that's why so many people have such a difficult time believing that it is, why so so many people prefer to deny its reality. Climate change seems like a science fiction novel. Every day, we all experience weather of some kind. No matter what the weather happens to be, it is easy to ascribe it to the unpredictable, ever changing nature of the climate, and to ignore even the possibility of any human infuence on it. Superficially, the very notion that human activity not only can but actually does affect the climate seems nonsensical, impossible. How can we, tiny, puny little creatures that we are, possibly have any lasting impact at all on something so huge, so uncontrollable as nature herself? Most people, however, have by now arrived at the point of understanding and acceptance of the science behind climate change, the very real and rather simple facts which explain it and how it is indeed very much a reality. Fortunately, most people acknowledge climate change; the number of people who deny it seems to be dwindling over time, with better education. Most of the books, conversations, and analysis about the present and future of climate change and human existence tend to be quite gloomy. We tend to focus on the question of precisely how bad it will get, and how soon, and most of the predictions are doom and glooomy. Recently a wonderful book has been publisehd which takes another approach, a positive approach. "What If We Get It Right?" is a collection of essays, discussion transcripts, and poetry from a number of creative scholars compiled by marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, which explores the possibility of positive outcomes and futures regarding different ways humanity might deal with climate change successfully, thus ensuring a happy, healthy future for the human species and all life on Earth. The very fact that the author is an esteemed marine biologist, a member of the scientific community studying climate change who can even see the possibility of positive outcomes, is refreshing and inspiring. Johnson points out that the future results and senario of hunanity's attempts to solve the cimate change crises have not yet been written; throughout history people have shown the ability to not only create problems, but to solve them as well. The current crisis, overwhelmingly enormous problem that it is, remains open to an acceptable solution. We are already doing many of the right things. The transition to renewable, sustainable energy is underway. All over the world massive tree planting programs are underway, and societal solutions such as increased mass transit and reduction of the mass production of beef industry are coming online. We are, however, not currtnely doing enough, although the very real possibility exists that we humans will greatly increase our efforts in the very near future. Among the most interesting and potential filled possibilities is atmospheric carbon removal. Athough carbon is still a trace element in the air, its quantity has more than doubled in the past one hunhred years alone, due exclusively to human industry. That is more than enough to cause Earth's climate to change. Our best hope is to develop the technology to remmove as much of it as possible, and perhpas put it back in the ground, where it belongs. The necessary technology is being developed now, with majjor corporations such as Exxon, pariticipating by building carbon collection facilities. There is a possible human future without climate change, and we can benefit from envisioning that future, by believing in it, and, most of all, by making it happen.