Climate change: Who wins? A "Texlish" book, zucchini again, and finding your dragonfly
September 7, 2023
What’s Going On?
It’s hot. But there is cooler weather coming. But it’s hot today in New Hampshire. And everywhere!
Along with all the other effects of climate change, this article caught my attention this morning:
Here is an excerpt from the article:
The organizations suing the state, including the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity, say the downside of rationing fresh water upstream pales in comparison to that of a disappearing Great Salt Lake.
Toxic chemicals — including arsenic, lead and mercury — are trapped in the lakebed. As more of the lakebed becomes exposed and dries, those chemicals are carried into the air by the wind. The consequent toxic dust storms could lower life expectancies, as well as heighten cancer and infant mortality rates, said Moench, citing past instances of lakes drying up across the world.
“You have millions of people directly in the path of the toxic dust,” he said. “We will be forced to leave, (and) it would be because of the public health consequences of the newly created dust bowl.”
According to the article, along with climate change reducing the input from mountain streams, water had been diverted to farms raising alfalfa, hay, and other crops for decades.
As you all know, I am a big supporter of farmers. I hope that the farmers currently depending on the water will be supported if/when they need to find more sustainable farming crops or techniques. So far, the Associated Press has not heard back from an email sent to the Utah Farm Bureau Federation.
I am taking it as a sign of hope that, from the Utah Farm Bureau Federation website, I got to a page on the American Farm Bureau Federation with the following statement:
What to Do?
I found the complete list of organizations filing the lawsuit:
The suit was filed by nonprofit environmental legal firm Earthjustice (my bold) against the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Division of Water Rights and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. On the plaintiffs’ side are Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, the American Bird Conservancy, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club and the Utah Rivers Council.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2023/09/06/environmental-groups-sue-utah-great-salt-lake-collapse/
Earthjustice. You’ve seen this organization highlighted here before. And I am highlighting this organization again because they are very effective in changing policy via the legal system; truthfully, that is the only way to effect anything close to universal change.
They also have an awesome logo and slogan:
Want to help save our earth from human greed and irresponsibility?
Donate to this organization! https://act.earthjustice.org/a/give-today
This group also has plenty of no-cost ways to help: Visit their Action Center.
How does this help? In their own words:
Go for it and check out their Action Center. You will find plenty of timely petitions that you can sign and have your voice heard by our government.
(I talk more about this organization in my January 12, 2023 newsletter.)
What to Read?
ooooo - I JUST started another book that I KNOW I will want to recommend. But, in keeping with my own rules, I won’t mention it unless I still love it to the very end. I will be done reading it well before next week. And, I am 99.999999999% sure I will be recommending it.
But, in the meantime… Here is a little gem from my bookcase.
Here is the marketing blurb for Letters to the Nation by Molly Ivins:
Writing in her native “Texlish,” Molly Ivins planted herself squarely in the tradition of plain-spoken and earthy American humor, the big river that runs from Mark Twain straight through to Will Rogers, Ring Lardner and George Carlin.
Between 1982 and 2007, Ivins contributed seventeen consistently sharp and funny articles to The Nation, starting with what might be described as her “Letters From Texas,” in which she discussed political developments in the Lone Star State, whose zany politics were full of exotic people dubbed “The Gibber,” “The Breck Girl” and “Governor Goodhair.”
Despite their humor, however, Ivins’s pieces always delivered trenchant political commentary. And she could also write highly accomplished and fascinating cultural essays and book reviews (such as “Ezra Pound in East Texas,” included in this eBook)
I got my copy as a gift for donating to The Nation, one of my long-time favorite publications. I can’t find this book on Bookshop, which is my favorite bookstore if I am going to purchase a new copy of a book. It is available on Amazon and clicking the title, above, will get you there, although I recommend purchasing a Kindle or used edition, give the price of the paperback!
You can also read it for free as a downloadable pdf via Read Download Molly Ivins Letters To The Nation PDF – PDF Download (bibleandbookcenter.com)
As always, to purchase a used copy, I recommend trying More Than Words first, then Thriftbooks.
What's Cooking?
Zucchini, of course! Still zucchini… 😊
The picture is of grated zucchini that I froze in 65 gram portions, so two portions will do it for Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread from Sally’s BakingRecipes that I shared in last week’s newsletter.
This is what I will do with this monster. So, take that, gods of huge zucchini!
You can also just freeze it in a flat slab in a freezer bag and break off what you need. OR, if you want to do the measured portions and don’t have a silicon muffin pan, use a regular one with cupcake liners or make your own liners with parchment paper. (I did that when freezing basil and olive oil for pesto because I wanted bigger portions.)
NOTE: If freezing in measured portions, grab a handful at a time and squeeze a bit of the moisture out of it over a bowl before weighing. And, you do have a kitchen scale, right? I highly recommend it. Yeah, you can do it by the cup, too but I am hooked on the accuracy a scale provides. But that’s just me. 😉
You can add defrosted grated zucchini to all sorts of things: soups, casseroles, baked goods - whatever suits your fancy.
Soon, I will try using zucchini slices with the freezer pickles recipe designed for cucumbers that I just used a few days ago. Stay tuned for that.
What Else?
This morning, my husband expressed concern as to the reduced number of birds at our feeder compared to the same time in the previous two years we have lived in NH. The conversation led to a discussion about climate change, as he shared information about two species he had read about, one that is a victim of climate change and the other a beneficiary, albeit causing destruction to another species.
This was not the most cheerful conversation, ending with Steve (the husband) pointing out that everything is changing, and we really have no idea what will happen due to climate change on a day-to-day or year-to-year basis.
Here are articles about the two species if you want to get equally depressed:
BUT, being a big fan of the Pollyanna stories as a child and still ever-hopeful, I countered by pointing out that, for example, Gracie Rose (our cat, pictured below) needed a home and, whatever may happen in the future, at least we are providing her with a great home. So don’t be so depressed.
Okay, maybe not a totally effective antidote to climate change-inspired existential angst, (my slogan is: finding connections in the chaos) but, truthfully, we never know what will happen next, so an important thing to focus on is doing our best to appreciate the good others do AND the good we do and can do for others.
Yes, this should include learning about and then educating about the realities we face and working to make positive change. But don’t forget what seems to be the little things. They can make all the difference in the world, as well as in your worldview.
Yes, do support organizations like Earthjustice. Do vote for politicians who will be responsible elected officials. But also, when you are feeling overwhelmed, think about all the good things in your life. What makes you smile? What have you done that has made someone smile? What CAN you do to make someone’s life a bit easier? What in life reminds you of the wonder of it all?
I know, sounds corny, but it’s not. It really is not. It is real and it can help us help both ourselves and others. And this approach can give us the strength to do what needs to be done.
Here is something that is making me smile right now. The video is from last summer, but I am watching a similar scene out my study window as I write this. I call it “The Dance of the Dragonflies.”
Dragonflies make me smile. Find your dragonfly.
Be kind,
Wendy