"I have to fight for your future," the author writes. "There's no other reasonable choice, for me or any adult." (Photo: Katariina Jarvinen/flickr/cc)
A Letter to My Child on a Changing Planet
Lots of big stuff is at stake as the climate changes. But so are everyday pleasures we take for granted — like hikes in the woods, days on the beach, and lazy summer days.
To my five-year-old son:
By the time you're my age, the year will be 2051. I don't know what the planet will look like. And that scares me.
Today, it's obvious that nature is changing too fast, too much. Of course, nature's not the culprit. We are. Humans. Your parents, your grandparents, and so many generations who came before us.
We've been selfish and careless. We've forgotten to think about the future. We've screwed up the environment with our plastic water bottles and our massive landfills, and most of all, our fossil fuels.
If we don't make real changes, and soon, our Earth in 2051 may look very different from our Earth in 2018. I have to fight for your future. There's no other reasonable choice, for me or any adult.
What am I fighting for? I want you to share these four moments with your own kids, in 2051.
1. Hikes in the woods, among the trees and the bluebells, deer peeking out at you through the brush, birdsong floating all around us. I want you and your kids to love to explore the woods. Climate change causes droughts and forest fires. It threatens our whole ecosystem in countless ways, endangering too many species, particularly bees and butterflies and other pollinators (which are vital to our eco-system). I will fight for your future forests.
2. Fun at the beach. The beach is my favorite thing in the world, other than you and your dad. I'm in awe of the vastness of the ocean. As I dig my toes into the sand, I feel connected to the Earth. Like I belong. I want you to have those long, lazy summer days at the beach, swimming and body surfing, stretching out on a towel to read a book, and building sandcastle after sandcastle. But climate change threatens beaches, with tides rising and coastlines eroding, whole cities disappearing. I will fight for your future beach days.
3. Snow. I remember taking you out in the snow for the first time. It was magical. I want you to experience that same magic with your children. But as temperatures soar, winters in many parts of the world will be under siege. Winter freezes could shrink or disappear. I will fight for your future snowball fights.
4. Lazy summer days. I want you to love summer as much as I do. It's my favorite season. I love to lie outside in the sun, to feel the sunlight soaking into my skin. I love that warmth. Summer is your favorite too. You say, "I like it hot." But if we do nothing, your favorite season could become miserable, oppressive. You might not want to run around in the sprinklers with your kids. I will fight for your future long days of summer.
The good news is that it's not too late. We can change our ways. We can give you a wonderful future.
We can demand clean energy. We can conserve energy. And recycle. And compost. And clean up litter. And eat less meat. And use public transportation. And drive cars that pollute less.
All these big and little choices make a difference. If we all do our parts to help -- and if our governments do theirs -- we can give you a beautiful, healthy planet in 2051. Along the way, we can teach our children how to make good choices, how to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
You and me kid, we can save the world. We have to try.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
To my five-year-old son:
By the time you're my age, the year will be 2051. I don't know what the planet will look like. And that scares me.
Today, it's obvious that nature is changing too fast, too much. Of course, nature's not the culprit. We are. Humans. Your parents, your grandparents, and so many generations who came before us.
We've been selfish and careless. We've forgotten to think about the future. We've screwed up the environment with our plastic water bottles and our massive landfills, and most of all, our fossil fuels.
If we don't make real changes, and soon, our Earth in 2051 may look very different from our Earth in 2018. I have to fight for your future. There's no other reasonable choice, for me or any adult.
What am I fighting for? I want you to share these four moments with your own kids, in 2051.
1. Hikes in the woods, among the trees and the bluebells, deer peeking out at you through the brush, birdsong floating all around us. I want you and your kids to love to explore the woods. Climate change causes droughts and forest fires. It threatens our whole ecosystem in countless ways, endangering too many species, particularly bees and butterflies and other pollinators (which are vital to our eco-system). I will fight for your future forests.
2. Fun at the beach. The beach is my favorite thing in the world, other than you and your dad. I'm in awe of the vastness of the ocean. As I dig my toes into the sand, I feel connected to the Earth. Like I belong. I want you to have those long, lazy summer days at the beach, swimming and body surfing, stretching out on a towel to read a book, and building sandcastle after sandcastle. But climate change threatens beaches, with tides rising and coastlines eroding, whole cities disappearing. I will fight for your future beach days.
3. Snow. I remember taking you out in the snow for the first time. It was magical. I want you to experience that same magic with your children. But as temperatures soar, winters in many parts of the world will be under siege. Winter freezes could shrink or disappear. I will fight for your future snowball fights.
4. Lazy summer days. I want you to love summer as much as I do. It's my favorite season. I love to lie outside in the sun, to feel the sunlight soaking into my skin. I love that warmth. Summer is your favorite too. You say, "I like it hot." But if we do nothing, your favorite season could become miserable, oppressive. You might not want to run around in the sprinklers with your kids. I will fight for your future long days of summer.
The good news is that it's not too late. We can change our ways. We can give you a wonderful future.
We can demand clean energy. We can conserve energy. And recycle. And compost. And clean up litter. And eat less meat. And use public transportation. And drive cars that pollute less.
All these big and little choices make a difference. If we all do our parts to help -- and if our governments do theirs -- we can give you a beautiful, healthy planet in 2051. Along the way, we can teach our children how to make good choices, how to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
You and me kid, we can save the world. We have to try.
To my five-year-old son:
By the time you're my age, the year will be 2051. I don't know what the planet will look like. And that scares me.
Today, it's obvious that nature is changing too fast, too much. Of course, nature's not the culprit. We are. Humans. Your parents, your grandparents, and so many generations who came before us.
We've been selfish and careless. We've forgotten to think about the future. We've screwed up the environment with our plastic water bottles and our massive landfills, and most of all, our fossil fuels.
If we don't make real changes, and soon, our Earth in 2051 may look very different from our Earth in 2018. I have to fight for your future. There's no other reasonable choice, for me or any adult.
What am I fighting for? I want you to share these four moments with your own kids, in 2051.
1. Hikes in the woods, among the trees and the bluebells, deer peeking out at you through the brush, birdsong floating all around us. I want you and your kids to love to explore the woods. Climate change causes droughts and forest fires. It threatens our whole ecosystem in countless ways, endangering too many species, particularly bees and butterflies and other pollinators (which are vital to our eco-system). I will fight for your future forests.
2. Fun at the beach. The beach is my favorite thing in the world, other than you and your dad. I'm in awe of the vastness of the ocean. As I dig my toes into the sand, I feel connected to the Earth. Like I belong. I want you to have those long, lazy summer days at the beach, swimming and body surfing, stretching out on a towel to read a book, and building sandcastle after sandcastle. But climate change threatens beaches, with tides rising and coastlines eroding, whole cities disappearing. I will fight for your future beach days.
3. Snow. I remember taking you out in the snow for the first time. It was magical. I want you to experience that same magic with your children. But as temperatures soar, winters in many parts of the world will be under siege. Winter freezes could shrink or disappear. I will fight for your future snowball fights.
4. Lazy summer days. I want you to love summer as much as I do. It's my favorite season. I love to lie outside in the sun, to feel the sunlight soaking into my skin. I love that warmth. Summer is your favorite too. You say, "I like it hot." But if we do nothing, your favorite season could become miserable, oppressive. You might not want to run around in the sprinklers with your kids. I will fight for your future long days of summer.
The good news is that it's not too late. We can change our ways. We can give you a wonderful future.
We can demand clean energy. We can conserve energy. And recycle. And compost. And clean up litter. And eat less meat. And use public transportation. And drive cars that pollute less.
All these big and little choices make a difference. If we all do our parts to help -- and if our governments do theirs -- we can give you a beautiful, healthy planet in 2051. Along the way, we can teach our children how to make good choices, how to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
You and me kid, we can save the world. We have to try.