To Till and to Tend

Sometimes we hear crazy facts, so crazy that we say, “I have to see it to believe it.” What happens then, when we do see it? Do we always believe it? Are we then willing to alter the way we see ourselves and the world?

We’ve all heard of global warming. Many people even understand the basic science behind it, admit that it is human caused, and realize potential consequences. But how many people truly believe it? Would it help if we saw it?

Images of climate change abound: rising waters erode coastal communities, drought dries the land, water floods it. But these images are rarely in our proverbial backyard and rarely provide lasting inspiration.

Google Earth has attempted to show us the realities of climate change in our backyard, favorite vacation spot and dream destination. For years, it has been a site of incredible amusement (in doing research for this post, I “hiked” up the Rocky Mountains and “waded” across rivers in Glacier National Park). Using scientific data with its projections of a warming planet, Google Earth has become a tool to view the global climate changes that will affect us all. If you don’t already have it, download it for free here. Then, see the images of a warming globe (note that the numbers here are given in degrees Celsius), sea ice content and the spread of disease (calculated by the range of the disease vector/mosquito).

Though this isn’t the key to environmental enlightenment, maybe these tools will enable us to connect the climate-related dots in our personal lives. If you’ve had this eerie sense that local climate has changed since you were a kid - you can look at this map, zoom into your zip code and see just how much it has warmed, and how much it is forecasted to warm. Or, if it seems that you know more people (and, in my case, family) who’ve contracted malaria and dengue fever, with these tools, you begin to understand why.

There isn’t a miracle image or fact that will provide environmental enlightenment. Still, having one more tool under our belt surely won’t hurt and may inspire people to see, believe, and maybe even act.