I've been both dreading and looking forward to the conversation I had tonight with my three year-old daughter. We bought a book at the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few months ago called Why Are the Ice Caps Melting? in preparation, but I wanted the right moment. Tonight, she got in bed early and then (predictably) had a second wind and started talking with me. Somehow we got on the topic of climate, so I decided to give her the 411, topped off with the book.
Knowing my daughter's sensitive nature, I expected she would be sad, a little scared and concerned about the animals and plants, but I didn't anticipate so many questions. The book explores all aspects of the problem - garbage, auto pollution, aerosol sprays, storms, rising water levels and the greenhouse effect - it's like a mini version of
Al Gore's slideshow. That's a lot to digest, but it's all connected.
What fascinated me about the discussion was how quickly my daughter seemed to grasp the problem: Too hot, plants dying, animals and people dying, big storms, houses flooding = bad. And she already wants to help. [Proud mom moment.] Meanwhile, the national policy discussion is slowly turning to security and its connection with "climate change" (aka euphemism of the century) and only now are Republicans starting to listen. To the credit of whoever made the decision to turn this into a talking point, it's a powerful one. Keep it going.
But really, if a three year-old can understand that a sick planet = dead people and animals, I have little patience with Ivy League educated legislators who gloss over the problem. Sick environment = sick people = weak security = hostile takeover = imminent destruction. Sure, there are combinations and permutations of the equation that are more complicated, involving Anthrax, methane, CO2 poisoning, etc. but the bottom line is the same. People aren't stupid, but we can be lazy and spoiled. And although the Republican party line previously was to say there's no proof, the continuous mounting evidence is now irrefutable. I also think the state of the economy is such that now people have already started tightening belts and being frugal, it's a little easier for them to look at going green as part of the solution. However, some legislators are still afraid to vote their conscience and take serious measures in terms of environmental legislation. We're making progress, just not enough.
So now I'm wondering: do we need to send a copy of this book to every member of Congress and every Republican still dragging their heels? Yes, it's made of paper, but it's small and can be passed around, loaned out, reused. It takes ten minutes to read and it's easy to understand for anyone - including the minimally educated. It may be more on the level of a grade schooler than a preschooler, but it's no more complicated than a ballot. It may be a tough conversation to have with policy makers and kids alike, but it's a lot easier than the alternative. Fifty years from now, our kids will all thank us for it, and I'd like to be around for that conversation.
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Sarah Granger also writes for the Huffington Post and her articles have appeared in ecofabulous, the Silicon Valley Moms Blog and Bay Area Parent. She formerly served as an Environmental Quality Commissioner for the City of Menlo Park, California.
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