Fifty years ago, I was trudging back to camp on a moonless night in British Columbia's Fraser Canyon. As I crossed the iron bridge, I heard the sound of a train whistle bouncing across the valley behind me.
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I could not determine the distance between the train and the bridge, nor how far along the bridge I had gone, how far I had to go, or how high I was above the water, or perhaps the rocks. But we are not standing still. I put my hand on one rail and did a double-motivated crouch run, tipping my toes and moving over the unevenly spaced ties. I ran away.
I was certain that the train of my youth was coming towards me, but I had the anxiety of not knowing how to avoid it. The looming ecological and climate crisis that amplifies climate change may seem uncertain because we do not know exactly what kind of weather will occur, when or where it will occur.
However, disruptions and disasters, including loss of human life, occur again and again in many places and can no longer be avoided.
Using uncertainty about the ecological and climate crisis as an excuse to wait and see is bad for business, agriculture and health. To reduce unwanted surprises, it is practical to act now based on what you already know and adapt as you learn more.
If you doubt climate scientists, look no further than the Insurance Bureau of Canada and other insurance companies that are assessing the increased risk of weather-related disasters. There is no guarantee against any risk of force majeure.
As ecological overshoot gains momentum and its impact approaches, we can choose to use scientific evidence to see how to mitigate the overshoot and how to adapt to soften its impact.
False advertising such as “We want more” and the apparent certainty of the need for economic growth through excessive energy consumption and extraction is a system that strives for a healthy human community on a thriving planet: “More fun. may be replaced by something less.
Farmers may ask about the state of natural habitat and biodiversity, the availability of clean water, and soil organic matter levels in their fields when their great-grandparents were farming. what are they now? How can we set an example for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to maintain or improve this situation?
Many farms have been or will continue to be in the same family for seven generations, and their viability, in addition to making a profit, depends on high soil organic matter levels, clean water availability, and , depends on dynamic biodiversity.
Consumers may ask what their great-grandparents ate, how they saved money, avoided waste, and practiced cultural values. How can today's consumers avoid processed foods that contain excess fat, salt, and sugar? How do we integrate delicious and nutritious diets with community initiatives?
We may all wonder how we can use less energy, need fewer supplies, reduce debt, and live with respect for our relationships. Will we educate ourselves and others with reports from organizations such as the Intact Center on Climate Adaptation, which aim to reduce the risk of negative impacts from climate change?
For spiritual, cultural, artistic, or personal values to be meaningful, they must be integrated into everyday life within realistic ecological limits. The Golden Rule says to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but “other” should extend to non-humans as well.
Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, says, “The more clearly we can focus on the wonders and realities of the universe around us, the less disgust we will have at its destruction.” .
As with other strategic planning practices, our greatest contribution to coming to terms with ecological and climate uncertainty may be deciding what to stop doing.
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– Dr. Ralph C. Martin is a retired professor at the University of Guelph.