Anyone watching local events can see the temperature rising, snowpack dwindling, and the fire season lengthening. Although here in Southern Oregon, the Almeda fire provides graphic testimony to the climate crisis, these trends are not peculiar to the region.
Our planet has warmed more than a degree Centigrade since the industrial revolution, and trends are progressing faster than climate scientists have anticipated. We are in precarious times; the need for action to address this crisis is urgent. But many of us feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the climate crisis and don’t know where to begin. It is hard to know where to start, what actions we might take to have the greatest impact, and how to determine what we can do as individuals and what we can do collectively.
Our partners at Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN) have developed a comprehensive program to help us understand more about the science of global warming and climate change consequences. The 10-week Master Climate Protector class will also help participants develop the skills and confidence needed to inform others about the science of global warming. A personal carbon footprint calculator can help you reduce your own emissions and a water use calculator provide guidance into using water wisely.
The course – which can be considered a primer for action – is rich in resources for further study. Highlights of what the course explores include:
- reviewing the difference between climate and weather; the current scientific understanding of human caused global warming and climate change; major contributors of global warming; and regional climate trends and projections
- discovering more the energy consumed in producing an shipping the materials we buy, the lighting, heating and cooling of our homes, and the use of our appliances and electronics.
- exploring the impacts of our travel and the transportation of goods that we consume and what options are available to reduce our transportation footprint
- learning about the distribution of water on Earth, how it is affected by climate change, how climate change affects severe weather, and how climate change affects aquatic and riparian species in the Rogue Valley
- examining how organisms and biological communities respond to variations in environmental temperature and precipitation; carbon sequestration; and what the national and regional trends and projections are for wildfires and why is it important
- surveying how climate change influences agriculture; the impact of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration has on agriculture; and what regenerative soil management is
- looking at the effects climate change has on physical and psychological health of humans
A service component of the course offers a way to familiarize yourself with various ways you can make a difference in your community and beyond while earning the optional Master Climate Protection certification.
The 2021 Master Climate Protector course starts at 6 pm on Monday, Feb.8. Each 3-hour class will be presented using the Zoom platform. Registration is now open for this year’s offering at a cost of $100; scholarships are available upon request. For more information and a registration form, visit https://socanmcp.eco or email el***@**can.eco.