Breeze ca transcript8/28/2023 None of us is bigger or more important than our shared air. Here are some other things: In a strange way, the smoke from these terrible fires reminds us of some fundamentals. This compassion and awareness could be a radical force, if channeled properly. I will say that choosing this option, if done mindfully, might remind us how deeply connected we are in this time of climate change, and give us compassion for others across the globe who are leaving their homes because the climate no longer supports them. This was an extreme resort, in an extreme time. However, after a month in California in the bad smoke, with two small kids who were coughing, we drove for 20 hours to South Dakota, and waited the fires out. I say this with care, because I know it is not realistic for all people at all times to simply up and leave. If you are vulnerable, and the smoke is forecast to stay for a while, if you have the means, consider taking a break someplace else. And - oh yes, if you’re angry and sad or frustrated, it’s a good time to remember to vote for candidates who take climate issues seriously. I don’t do these things because they are the whole solution, but because they feel a hell of a lot better than doing nothing and because they put me in touch with others who are working for change. I am advocating for bicycle infrastructure in my city. Over the past few years, I have begun driving less and riding a bicycle a lot more. It is all right to feel angry or sad or depressed - and, perhaps, to begin to be curious about what new approaches you want to take to connecting this feeling of grief to the wider climate crisis. We’d find that it was windy in the afternoons, and we could get out for a spell. Similarly, when smoke hovered over the Bay Area for weeks, we’d find that sometimes a brisk breeze off the water helped provide pockets of breathable air. If you’re getting cooped up, try and see if there are times of day when the air is better than others, and venture out then. Stay inside or with air filtration systems as much as possible. When air quality index value is high - over 100 for children or vulnerable folks, or over 150 for any long period of time - pay attention The EPA also offers AirNow, which is free and robust. You both learn a lot and provide a community service at once. It’s worth installing one in your home if you want to join the network - it helps people near you understand how the air is in your neighborhood now. It uses a network of community-based sensors. My family likes the PurpleAir app because it seems to have a finer grain toward minute-to-minute conditions, is easy to read and also has really clear indications when particulates are over the limit. Help your community be prepared to offer places for people to come in and rest and breathe if they need to. Check which public facilities are available for vulnerable populations. And this is important - if there is a lot of smoke, try to make your own area as safe as you can. That’s a good cheap option if air purifiers are sold out. If you can’t get one, getting a regular 20-inch home HVAC furnace air filter from a hardware store and duct taping it to a box fan can provide some relief. Here are some things that are worth doing:īuy an air purifier and a HEPA filter, if you can And - at extended lengths, with many particulates in the air - it’s dangerous, too. For many of us, it’s the moment when climate change hits home in a new, deeper way - we feel it in our lungs. We are suddenly in a new reality of harsh, unbreathable air. When we see smoke in the sky, we feel, in a new way, that we are losing a piece of the planet, of our lives, that many of us took for granted. There’s a huge grief element to this, too. I want to be clear: It’s not just that smoke is harmful. But it’s hard and sad to wait as the planet burns around us. After that I did yoga inside and tried to lay low. I came back wheezing, with a torn and rattly feeling in my lungs. I rode, of all things, to the dentist’s office a mile away (it wasn’t really a joy ride, just a dumb errand). I’ll never forget the day after a week of smoke, when I got impatient and took a short bike ride to clear my head. Why we left California and just kept driving east The wildfire has become the 14th largest in state history, devouring nearly 144,000 acres and an area about the size of the city of Chicago. Undefined - AUGUST 26 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES: Smoke rises from smoldering trees as more than 3,400 firefighters battle the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park on Sunday, August 25.
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