News Reporter: Climate Coach: Tell the climate coach what’s on your mind

Thursday, 14 December 2023

Climate Coach: Tell the climate coach what’s on your mind

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Down-to-earth advice for life on our changing planet.

By Michael J. Coren

I'm working on some special projects for next year, so this will be a brief newsletter. But I wanted to take a moment to ask you a question: What would you like to see in the Climate Coach newsletter in 2024?

I made a 30-second poll to hear what's on your mind. Just click below and send me your thoughts:

Thanks for an incredible year as the Climate Coach.

Learning Curve

Want to be a more mindful holiday shopper? Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post's personal finance columnist, has tips for you. Her five-day SMS personal finance course offers suggestions for spending thoughtfully and eliminating the guilt of trimming your gift list. Sign up here. (Preview: "🎟️ Give a coupon for your talent. My youngest is a great cook. She gave me a coupon for three home-cooked meals. I could even invite two guests. I loved it!"

And Climate Coach has you covered if you're looking to reevaluate your relationship with stuff, buy used first or buy forever by seeking out emotional durability.

Snapshot

Southern magnolias in Boston? The Agriculture Department has released its new plant hardiness zone map. For the first time in a decade, the map shows how climate change is remaking the American landscape. Some places are changing faster than others, reports the AP: The Midwest warmed more than the Southeast, for example.

(USDA/AP)

The map shows the lowest likely winter temperature for each region, now 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 degrees Celsius) warmer on average than in 2012. With climatic changes happening so quickly, gardeners will need to plant for the future.

On the Climate Front

From The Post:

Global climate deal calls for ending the fossil fuel era — just not yet.

Miami yard signs display an inconvenient truth about sea level rise.

We built a fake metropolis to show how extreme heat could wreck cities.

The secret to getting people to eat more plant-based food: Don't say vegan.

Isaac Cordal, an artist living in Bilbao, Spain, is the creator of a nomadic urban project called Cement Eclipses. Cordal uses the same stereotypical character, a middle-aged bald man in a gray suit, to reflect on the plight of modern society. The image below, which he refers to as "politicians discussing global warming," is part of an installation of 2,000 pieces called "Follow the Leaders."

"These small sculptures contemplate the demolition and reconstruction of everything around us," he writes.

Send your photos and stories to climatecoach@washpost.com.