| | | | | Welcome. This week, plant bricks and drone foresters. But first, getting outside. |  | | If you're feeling lonely, go into nature. It might sound strange to seek connection with others in the places we go for solitude. But that's what Hannah Seo argued in the Atlantic this week, marshaling more than a dozen studies to buttress her point: Our estrangement from nature appears connected to America's growing loneliness epidemic. Humans, it's theorized, possess biophilia, "an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life." This is what draws us to nature, and all forms of life. But if this predisposition exists, I was surprised to learn its development is by no means assured. People's natural inclination toward other life, especially nature, must be given an opportunity to bloom. Otherwise, we may spiral in the opposite direction, developing a fear of or even disgust for the natural world. "As nature grows unfamiliar, separate, and strange to us, we are more easily repelled by it," Seo writes. "These feelings can lead people to avoid nature further, in what some experts have called 'the vicious cycle of biophobia.'" This may contribute to the deepening isolation of Americans. Our social networks have been atrophying for years as we spend more and more time indoors — about 90 percent for the average American, much of it alone. Before 2013, people spent about 6.5 hours per week with friends, according to the American Time Use Survey. By 2021, that time had fallen to about four hours. Americans also spent less time with neighbors, co-workers and others outside work. |  | | That loss of time with others has potentially grim consequences. A lack of social connection carries a one-third increase in the risk of heart disease and stroke, dementia among older adults by 50 percent, and risk of premature death by more than 60 percent, warns the U.S. surgeon general. By leaving our private spaces for public, green ones we all share, we may not only be more likely to meet, interact and bond with the people around us — we may be more willing to do so. Studies have found that exposure to nature is associated with greater social cohesion, better peer relationships, enhanced sense of belonging, and even helpfulness toward strangers. In one experiment, people leaving a park were more likely to return a glove dropped on the ground than those just entering. We learn fear through one another, Daniel Blumstein, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California at Los Angeles, told Seo. We can teach each other the opposite as well. Ultimately, strong human relationships may be the key to reacquainting ourselves with the outdoors and each other. Have questions for my next column? Write climatecoach@washpost.com. I read all your emails. |  | Field Sample Coccidioides, a flesh-eating fungus causing Valley fever, is on the move. Cases have roughly quadrupled over the past two decades, report The Washington Post's Joshua Partlow, Veronica Penney and Carolyn Van Houten. Why? Human-driven climate change may be driving Valley fever's spread, researchers say, since periods of extreme drought, which have grown more intense across the American West, create ideal conditions for the fungus. "I cannot think of any other infection that is so closely entwined with climate change," said Rasha Kuran, an infectious-disease specialist at UCLA. What was once a disease largely confined to the Southwest may spread across the entire West. | | Each year, Valley fever affects tens of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of people, according to federal data. In rare cases, the infection can be crippling or fatal. A few hundred people die of Valley fever each year in the United States. | Snapshot Drones are saving Guam's forests. The Post's Allyson Chiu traveled to Guam to see how researchers from the University of Guam are dropping seeds from small aerial drones to reforest areas devastated by wildfires and floods. | | (John Farrell/The Washington Post) |  | The Second Degree On the wardrobe that can last (almost) forever, Louisa mentioned that buying new isn't even necessary. Marketplaces like threadUP.com, one of the largest online clothing resale shops, allow you to buy high-quality, fashionable clothes for far less. And some companies will now repair clothes or resole shoes at cost or free of charge — Luna, Patagonia, Asket and Chacos among them. "My daughter has worn the same Chacos from age 14 to now, age 25. Kudos to Chacos for offering that service," writes Beth. Do you have any forever clothes? Send a photo for the next newsletter. And many of you had thoughts on induction stoves. Molly (and many others) had sticker shock over the cost of upgrading their wiring for a 240-volt outlet, which most induction stoves require. Two good alternatives: Buy a battery-enabled stove (I wrote about it here) so you can use a regular outlet, or a small induction plate ($65), which lets you make any surface an induction burner. As for the slight buzzing sounds, it's not necessarily an issue with all induction stoves, writes John Kassakian, professor emeritus of electrical engineering at MIT. "The buzzing is the result of the design of the electronics," he writes. Stoves that don't fully filter out the alternating current generate the whir. "It could easily be removed if manufacturers made more effective filters, which, of course, increases costs a bit," he writes. And based on many of your responses, some have already done so. I expect this problem to fade over time. A lot of you are early adopters for the climate — but not other technologies. One reader noted their rooftop solar, heat pump water heater and geothermal HVAC, and backup batteries — but a five-year-old laptop and seven-year old fitness tracker. "We adopt early where we think it will count, and work to extend the life of devices elsewhere," they wrote. And finally, I'm not moving back to Florida, friends. I quoted a reader in my essay last week. I'll be sure to make that clearer next time. |  | | | One thing Thanksgiving is almost here. And so is the chance to connect with friends and family. If climate change comes up, it's a golden opportunity. Yale's Program on Climate Change Communication reports that 2 in 3 Americans say they "rarely" or "never" discuss global warming with friends and family. Yet we dramatically underestimate each others' concern about it and how popular climate action really is. Only 11 percent of the population dismisses that climate change is happening, according to Yale. So try starting climate conversations next week. Much of the change in actions and attitudes will happen because people talk about it, says climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. What to say? Yale researchers have some simple strategies (listen, and find common ground), and this quick playbook from the nonprofit Climate Changemakers offers easy prompts. Discuss your experience with extreme weather. If you're electrifying your home or buying an electric vehicle, describe your experiences: What was it like? Introduce people to climate-friendly dishes. Make it personal. "When talking to those who care about you, your passion and personal story are powerful starting points," writes Climate Changemakers. "Until you try, you never know what common ground — or productive difference — constructive dialogue will uncover." |  | | Liz snapped this photo of a dahlia Nov. 7 on her way to vote in Ohio. "It's normal for there to be some beautiful foliage still and snapdragons which are hardy, but this year there were zinnias and even this dahlia — after 3 hard freezes!" she wrote. "I've never seen those before, plus many more trees have their leaves this year at this time." Send me your photos and stories at climatecoach@washpost.com. | | Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get The Climate Coach in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. See you next Tuesday, Michael Coren, Climate Coach | | | | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment