Climate Change and the Outdoors, i.e., Our World

We forget this so many times each day – the outside world. But it is the foundation of life, providing the air we breathe, the water we drink, our food, and all the animals, plants and other life keep the plants pollinated, and circulate the nutrients, including sequestering carbon for decades in trees and soil. How do we help the outdoors do its job now that there is a strong release of ancient, fossil carbon into the system? Can we put that carbon back in the ground? We, emphasizing us regular folks, can do this, not just governments.

Climate Steps: Outside

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About Climate Change and Outdoors

Linda Cotton, holding a tomato from her jointly held community garden in Washington, DC.

A new page we are developing that will feature a round-up of information.  But first, we’ll highlight some articles we’ve written about our environment, our outdoors — the thing we think we don’t absolutely need and often don’t think about, but which, really, is the foundation of life, providing the air and water we breath, the food via pollinators, the animals and other life that support the nutrient recycling – everything.Yards, Landscapes, and those Edges along Curbs:

• Changing Lawns to Actual Life (the many replacements for lawns.) – a Climate Steps article.
• Native Plant Finder (for U.S.)
• Trees, which is mostly about the benefits of trees near a house. – a Climate Steps article.

Planting Trees – Yourself, through Donations, and more

1. Trees for a Change “Dedicate a tree as a gift” happy occasions, memorials for a friend or colleague, and thank you’s for help given in the fight against climate change.
2. Gift Trees Gift a tree through the green search engine Ecosia – they have a page dedicated to how to donate the planting of a tree(s).
3. Tree Trust Dedicate a tree planting, and provide job training at the same time.
4. USDA Forest Service Donations The USDA Forest Service Plant-A-Tree Program was established in 1983.

Burials

Okay, weird, but if you think about it, most burials are outside (minus cremation urns kept inside.) We’re going to expand on this section in the near future, but here are some interesting articles about green burials, especially in the U.S. So far options include: standard burial (not green at all), pine box burial, shroud burial, forest groves burial, cremation (not as green as one think), cremation and burial with a tree seed, biodegradable pod burial – often with a seed, water/chemical cremation (seems pretty green), and composting (only in Washington State in U.S.) Enjoy the read!

• https://www.newscientist.com/article/2152509-why-burying-loved-ones-in-unmarked-graves-could-save-wildlife/
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/eco-friendly-cemeteries-more-people-preferring-green-over-standard-burials/2019/11/29/af9de6ce-0fc5-11ea-bf62-eadd5d11f559_story.html?
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/05/opinion/human-composting-new-york.html?

WATER

Photo by Matt Hardy via Pexels.com

WaterSense (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) is a water-saving certification for bathroom equipment, such as showerheads, toilets, faucets, plus irrigation controls, sprinklers, etc. Being sensible about water is directly linked to climate change resilience. We already have done-in so many water resources, but climate-related drought and heat will greatly change our water resources further. We must preserve them. Be water-sensible. Thank you!

Contributors and Photo Credit

Dr. Annette Olson

Header Image: Courtesy of []

Additional References

1.  How Climate Change Fuels Increasing Wildfire Disasters, www.snappywords.com/knowledge/how-climate-change-fuels-increasing-wildfire-disasters, recommended by student.  Nice and succinct explanation of climate change influencing wildfires – and it also includes steps to adapt and help mitigate climate change.  

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