I got out the ocean after snorkeling in Cozumel, turned to the boys and said, “Do you know why mummy is so psychotic about climate change? Because in 10 years, if we don’t fix it, this will all be gone.”
For over a decade, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been warning us about this; only one of the many catastrophic consequences of global warming over 1.5 deg. ALL the Coral Reefs IN THE WHOLE WORLD are on track to die in the 2030s. All the real-life Nemos and Dorys. Not in 100 years, or 50, or 30…10. Most of us will still be here to mourn the loss.
Not so fun to think about on Spring Break vacation (or at any time) but I believe hopeful hysteria is appropriate right now. I feel called to live consciously incongruently with a ‘broken open’ heart. I know there are mundanities $ and hygiene items I’m responsible for. I know that while I’m vociferously bashing our extractive destructive economy, I have been, and am, an active participant in it.
I also know all of that mere ‘surviving’ would be meaningless if I cannot save these things. If WE cannot course correct and save these things. It would require me to cut out a piece of my soul to continue moving through a world in which I stood passively by and let ALL the coral reefs die….because I was scared to change or wanted to remain ‘comfortable’.
All are called and welcome to partake in this transformation. It is going to take all of us. I know I cannot do this alone, and I am not alone. Warriors in this fight have been trying to wake me up, wake us up, for decades. Ocean and reef conservation groups have been, and continue to work tirelessly to save what they can. But they will not be successful without the rest of us also contributing through massive emissions reductions. A ‘drawdown’ is necessary to save the reefs.
My children saw this reef in Cozumel. Whether my grandchildren (and yours) will get to see a real natural reef, is yet to be determined. If I thought all was already lost, and there was nothing we could do about it, I would just give up. I’d tell you to book your bucket list trip to the Great Barrier Reef without delay and that I know a great travel agent. And while you were there, I’d tell you to feel free to take home as many souvenirs of sea fans as you want, because they will be dead in a few years anyway.
But we are not there yet (so don’t you dare touch the reef!). We know what we need to do. We have all the tools and technologies available. We just need to start, today.
“My Heart is Moved
By all I cannot save
And by all we can…”
together.
