It’s a time of transitions.
From harvest to hibernation. From autumn to winter. From 2018 to the unknowns of the new year ahead.
From a Republican-dominated federal government to a Democratic House. From the tumultuous first two years of the corrupt and regressive Trump presidency to a blue wave of resistance and progressive leadership going forward.
From fossil fuels to renewable energy, we hope. What other hope do we have?
I keep coming back to this line from the op-ed I shared yesterday:
California has done our part, passing 100 percent renewable energy requirements by 2045 to move toward a clean energy future. We need to invest in technologies to mitigate climate disasters, not recklessly expand offshore oil drilling.
Starting a home garden is well and good, and has been, for me, a meaningful way to engage with the food I eat and consider the soil, seeds, sun, and labor that go into nourishing me every hour of every day. I plan to continue growing vegetables for myself in the seasons ahead, as well as supporting local farms through CSA memberships and voting with my dollars when it comes to local, organic, sustainable food cultivation.
Already, though, I’m beginning to transition mentally to the next question. Food keeps me alive each day. But other forms of energy keep my life running: gasoline to drive to the coast and back, natural gas to heat my home and cook my dinner, coal- and nuclear-generated electricity to light my rooms and let me type these words. I already try to minimize the energy I use by walking rather than driving whenever possible (minus the occasional long trip), setting the thermostat efficiently, and switching off my low-watt light bulbs when I leave a room. Gold star sticker for me, right? But even if we all do our little bits and pieces to live efficiently, it won’t be close to enough for the globe. What else can I do as a single citizen? How can I help do my part to move toward a clean energy future?