One of life’s great privileges is to listen to experts discuss their area of expertise within the context of the bigger issues impacting our world. Yesterday, I got an education in fire from Graeme Thom, and it was truly enlightening. I encourage you to listen to it and really think about what Graeme is saying, including how far behind we are in preparing for fire and the conditions that will come with it, not just in Australia, but around the world, as well as what we can do about it.
Graeme was an Australian firefighter for 41 years, and after retiring, he is now working to fight fires, but this time he is in the other “ring” – working tirelessly to influence governments, institutions, and all relevant leaders on what needs to be done and how much needs to be invested. Ultimately, the investment required in tiny compared to the true cost of fires today, which he explains in detail.
Right now, fire is our master and as Graeme explains, it should be our servant. Standing witness to fires in Australia for more than four decades, he has watched the season get worse over this time, with bigger fires, more impact and more danger.
The risk to Australia in the coming months is HUGE. Only recently, the media started highlighting the risk on the horizon – using urgent language – and now Australians are being asked to get prepared. The one thing stopping that preparation? Apathy, from top to bottom.
Considering Graeme’s view of what is the come, based on what he’s seeing in the environment, a view with decades of experience behind it, I recommend everyone listens to Graeme and gets ready for this potentially brutal season ahead.
Are you an expert in an area relevant to the polycrisis?
Here are the core pillars of the polycrisis that I focus on, and I would be happy to host anyone who has deep expertise in any of these areas to come and chat with me (on Climate Courage, Uncommon Courage, or The Know Show) within the context of the world’s bigger issues. Bringing these pieces together is something we all really need to focus on, and it’s been my commitment for several years to do this, but it is the ability to go deep into each pillar that I really value, and what I believe is important to understand.
Big week in the conversation on all things climate, so dig in. Ironically, this week isn’t about fire, but it certainly is about floods, and in the last 24 hours, a devastating earthquake in Morrocco. At time of writing, the death toll has passed 800.
It’s time to pay attention to the information that matters.
Friend’s content and mine
वह क्षेत्र जो रहने लायक नहीं रहे, उन पर पड़ने वाले ताप सूचकांक की तैयारी के लिए 34 कार्रवाइयां: – The Digital Conversationalist (andreatedwards.com) I am extremely grateful to Neerja Singh for translating ‘34 actions to prepare for a heat index that hits unliveable territory’ into Hindi. Please share this with your Hindi speaking community, especially the poorest, who are most at risk!
Donation time
If everyone gave #just10percent of their time, talent, money or voice, we’ll change the world. Can you donate? Why not make a regular donation to the World Food Programme. Or donate to the UN Refugee Program, Medicine Sans Frontier, PowerOf, Kiva.org, Red Cross, and so many more, including urgent fundraising and those supporting animals, like the Soi Dog Foundation. A fabulous organisation I support is B1G1 – check it out and set up an account. It’s a time for giving and taking care of each other.
Content to read
And here’s the content I’ve been reading, listening to or watching. Scan the headlines, read the ones that jump out at you, read, listen to or watch them all. It’s time to pay attention to the information that matters.
Climate crisis
Powerful earthquake causes damage across Morocco – BBC News
Deadly humid heatwaves to spread rapidly as climate warms – study | Climate crisis | The Guardian
‘We are not prepared’: Disasters spread as climate change strikes – POLITICO
Climate change: UN calls for radical changes to stem warming – BBC News
The world’s first climate change report card is in – The Verge
Watch stunning lightning strikes at the heart of Hurricane Lee – BBC News
Rescue efforts stepped up after deadly floods in central Greece | Greece | The Guardian
UN announces ‘climate breakdown’ after record summer heat | Climate News | Al Jazeera
Making Sense with Sam Harris: #333 — Sanity Check on Climate Change on Apple Podcasts
Doomsday preventer: A volcanic eruption could cool the Earth – let’s pray for one | WRAL TechWire
Hong Kong and southern China battle widespread flooding from record rains – BBC News
Heat denial: influencers question validity of high temperatures | Climate crisis | The Guardian
Boy, 12, dies after being forced to run in 36C heat during gym class without water – Mirror Online
Climate activists protested at Burning Man. Then the climate crashed the party : NPR
Hong Kong ‘black’ rainstorm: Widespread flash flooding after heaviest rainfall since 1884 | CNN
Opinion | Carbon Offsets Are No Longer as Effective – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Indonesia awards biggest Indigenous forest claim yet to Bornean Dayaks
Why Vancouver is embracing brown lawns – BBC News
Thousands of Canada wildfire evacuees allowed to go home – BBC News
NASA-funded Study: Half of Glaciers Vanish with 1.5 Degrees of Warming | NASA
Hurricane Lee could become ‘extremely dangerous’ – BBC News
‘Major disruptor’: El Niño threatens the world’s rice supplies | Global development | The Guardian
Jordan Peterson Generates Millions of YouTube Hits for Climate Crisis Deniers – DeSmog
UK scientists tell MPs that the oil party is over (yorkshirebylines.co.uk)
Asian hornet likely to have become established in UK, say experts | Invasive species | The Guardian
Greece floods kill at least one as country grapples with ‘totally extreme weather phenomenon’ | CNN
12 obvious ways to reduce emissions that nobody is talking about – Positive News
Gulf Stream could collapse as early as 2025 – Modern Diplomacy
Climate change is coming for your olive oil, too | Grist
Burning Man 2023 – Monday Afternoon Exodus
Nobel Prize Winner Who Doesn’t Believe Climate Crisis Has Speech Canceled (newsweek.com)
Burning Man festival road reopens, allowing thousands to escape muddy trap | Reuters
The UK is at risk of running low on water. Why? | Financial Times (ft.com)
Thousands queue for hours to leave Burning Man festival – BBC News
Torrential rain in Spain causes major flooding – BBC News
Monthly Review | The Double Objective of Democratic Ecosocialism
Lake Titicaca: The world’s highest navigable lake is drying out | CNN
Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies over climate risk – The Washington Post
Planet: Critical: Overshooting Earth’s Boundaries | Bill Rees on Apple Podcasts
The Battle Against the Fungal Apocalypse Is Just Beginning | WIRED
The Climate Crisis Could Mean the Twilight of the American West – Rolling Stone
Burning Man: Police investigating death during heavy rain – BBC News
Modern slavery: Pakistan’s latest climate change curse | Climate Crisis | Al Jazeera
Why Scotland must get real on climate crisis – Rupert Read (scotsman.com)
‘Conserve food and water’: No way in or out of Burning Man after storm (sfgate.com)
Eucalyptus Oil And Fire – Information About Flammable Eucalyptus Trees (gardeningknowhow.com)
US cities that are at risk of catastrophic water infrastructure failure | CNN
Made from fungi, this vegan leather can self-heal holes or rips (snexplores.org)
5 Looming Grocery Shortages You Need to Know About (eatthis.com)
How Vivek Ramaswamy makes money from climate denial (heated.world)
Burning Man Drowning in Heavy Desert Rain | Climate Denial Crock of the Week (climatecrocks.com)
Australia launches mission to rescue Antarctic researcher – BBC News
Exxon Mobil Predicts Climate Efforts Will Fail (futurism.com)
The summer from hell was just a warning (inkl.com)
The summer food went weird: searing heat reshapes US food production | Environment | The Guardian
Conservatives tweet while Canada burns | Canada’s National Observer: News & Analysis
The Long, Slow Death of Global Development – American Affairs Journal
Global politics
Voice to parliament: John Farnham permits his iconic song to front Yes campaign ad (theage.com.au)
The Gray Area with Sean Illing: Conservative socialism? on Apple Podcasts
The Daily: How 100,000 Migrants Became a Political Crisis in New York on Apple Podcasts
American Democracy Perseveres—For Now – The Atlantic
The U.S. and Europe Are Splitting Over Ukraine – The Atlantic
Putin: ‘No new grain deal until West meets my demands’ | Euronews
Ukraine war: drone strikes on Russia, uranium tank shells for Kyiv | Euronews
Musk’s changes at Twitter helped spread Russian propaganda, EU study finds – The Washington Post
Business and technology
Confessions of a McKinsey Whistleblower | The Nation
Mattel’s Windfall From ‘Barbie’ – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Elon Musk sped Twitter deal so he could fire top execs | Fortune
Influencers mock Amazon’s $25 per video offer | Fortune
Social issues
Gillian Keegan ‘covered-up’ RAAC dangers whistleblower claims (thelondoneconomic.com)
Woman accused of faking symptoms of debilitating illness dies aged 33 | The Independent
We’re not sure whether this song choice on the Jeremy Vine show was brilliant or terrible – The Poke
New cancer cases in under-50s have risen by 79% in 30 years (newatlas.com)
Scientists grow whole model of human embryo, without sperm or egg – BBC News
Johnny Kitagawa: J-pop agency boss resigns over predator’s abuse – BBC News
Alabama can prosecute those who help women travel for abortion, attorney general says – al.com
Luis Rubiales: Spain’s men’s team call behaviour of federation president ‘unacceptable’ – BBC Sport
Elon Musk under fire for silence over man facing death sentence for tweets | The Independent
Passion/humour/history
Man in contraption washes up in Florida after trying to run on water – BBC News (ampproject.org)
Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell dies at 56 – BBC News
What Happens Later: Everything We Know About Meg Ryan’s New Rom-Com | Glamour
So, what did you read? What jumped out at you? Or share with me what you’re reading? I love that!
Cheers
Andrea
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Environment education
Four environment resources to help you navigate this challenging territory.
- Knowledge, constantly updating
- Individual action and awareness, so we do our part
- Resources for those struggling with eco-anxiety. Please share with your community.
- Finally, more than 100 mini-videos on many topics regarding the multiple crisis’ we face. Feel free to download and use as your own. No credit necessary.
Uncommon Courage: an invitation
Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone. If Covid19 has given us the time and space to reflect, Uncommon Courage gives us the nudge we need to create lasting change.
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You can read the reviews, including a new five-star review on Book Commentary, another five-star review on ReaderViews, a review on BookTrib, and three more on Booklife, another on Book Commentary and Blue Ink Reviews. I’m also collating reviews on my Website too. Have a look and grateful to everyone who has written or recorded one.
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