As climate change intensifies from summer to summer, millions of people around the world find themselves shrouded in toxic wildfire smoke, including those in North America. Russia with Mediterranean Just last month.
I’m from Australia, it’s our devastating place 2019-2020 bushfires and smoke Aroused the attention of the world.
Wildfire smoke is Bad for our health. Too So uncomfortable, But we won’t talk about that much.
During the black summer in Australia, I was choked by the smoke for three months and found that there was no other way but the ongoing crisis.But later in the process of writing Book Regarding how we feel and what we can do about climate change, I took the time to think about that experience. If we are willing to listen and learn, what can smoke teach us?
We often use the terms “atmosphere” or “climate” to refer to the mood of a situation. We use meteorological metaphors to describe emotional states, such as how it feels in the weather, like rain or in Yunjiu.
Such language shows that we understand that human emotions are closely related to weather. However, we pay very little attention to the way we experience climate change.
But wildfire smoke proves the impact of climate change. For example, wildfire smoke is often used such as “Air doomsday,” “Air of fear” or”depression. “
By enduring the smog and its horrors, we can think more carefully about the way we experience climate change, how we are entangled with it, and, most importantly, why and how we respond to climate change.
We often think that the impact of climate change is far from our body, separate from our body, or outside of our body, because science usually uses global representations and statistics.But the wildfire is smoking Infiltrate and pollute our body, And it does cross many other boundaries: it is almost impossible to avoid buildings; it flows from rural areas into megacities; it can easily cross state and national boundaries. certainly, Some boundaries are more permeable, and some bodies are more susceptible to smoke. Not everyone has equal access to the effects of climate change.
Because it can penetrate and become a part of our lives, wildfire smoke in nature is closer to the air pollution that we usually think is causing climate change: toxic air from fossil fuel mining and burning sites.
Wildfire smoke is both Impacts and causes of climate change. It illustrates the cascading nature of climate change impacts and Self-reinforcing feedback loop This can and may cause the planet to warm without being affected by human behavior.
Specifically, it demonstrates a cascade of combustion and suffocation. Intensified by the burning of fossil fuels due to climate change, wildfire smoke is the remnants of incomplete combustion of forests and their inhabitants, many of whom will die of suffocation before being burned. Then it crosses the earth and suppresses the breathing of those who are far from the flames. As a source of further greenhouse gas emissions, it will further heat the earth and generate more heat waves and wildfires. In the long run, it will reduce the air permeability of the entire earth and increase flammability.
Reading this article, watching the news, viewing photos on social media, and/or inhaling smoke may make you feel nauseous, dizzy, or distressed. Therefore, the smog also shows that we have no “sense” about climate change. On the contrary, climate is an inherent sensory phenomenon.
Temperature, air pressure, and precipitation are all things we can experience through our bodies, which is why they are important. The process by which we experience and feel climate and climate change is often more complicated and complicated than the process by which we experience the weather. However, as wildfire smoke tells us, climate change is inherent, obvious, and sensible.
In short, through our red eyes, inflamed throat, itchy nose, and harsh lungs, the smoke reminds us that we can and do feel the violence against our own body’s atmosphere, because in some ways, this This kind of violence is also inflicted on ourselves.
Of course, we can reflect on all of these, but learning will be important only if we respond together. Wildfire smoke can also create a political atmosphere, and if people’s energy can be used, this atmosphere may trigger change. In a world already exhausted by the pandemic, this can be difficult.
To do this, we must discuss how smog and climate change more generally make us feel. People play a vital role in facilitating dialogue in communities (various communities).
Participation in climate change research increasingly shows that Examples of relevant local climate impacts Can help people feel that this question is meaningful. Although concerns about such effects can inspire action, People need support Find out how to best respond, whether in terms of guiding their feelings or participating in collective action.
Have resource Support people in such conversations there. If/when it is safe to do so, I encourage you to discuss your physical and emotional feelings, as well as your feelings about smog and climate change, with friends, family and the community, and then discuss the following questions: what US Doing this.
This is an opinion and analysis article; opinions expressed Author or author Not necessarily those Scientific american.