Plant a Tree Please

Dear Partners in Green,

Sad to say, and I know that many realized this long ago, including Bill McKibben, author of “eaarth, MAKING A LIFE ON A TOUGH NEW PLANET,” that it is time, or even past time for us to adapt to this “tough new planet.”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center there were 86 new fires reported nationwide, including six new large fires. Currently 37 large fires are uncontained with 6,700 personnel assigned to incidents across the country, including four “complex incident management teams.” So far this year 3,118 fires burned more than 2.9 million acres. (Last updated: June 25, 2026)

Yes, there have always been fires, but warmer temperatures and severe drought due to Climate Change has made them worse, and the fire seasons are now longer. In Los Angeles alone, around 440 people are estimated to have died due to January 2025 wild fires.

But as we know, Climate Change triggers other far-reaching disruptions: rising sea levels, loss of diversity, threats to food and water security, rising temperatures, deteriorating human health, and of course migration and immigration.

Climate Change has come and it is sure to get worse. But what can we do now?

We can continue doing what we have been doing: reduce our shopping, limit our driving and our air travel, and cut back on meat consumption. We can donate to organizations doing their best to help those in the poorest countries.

And as McKibben suggests, we can get to work building strong sustaining communities focusing on maintenance, and local food conservation. We can also create local networks to weather upcoming challenges.

And I would include among the challenges, ensuring that all in our communities have a home with life-saving air conditioning and a good meal on the table.

It does not seem like too much to ask.

But it may just buy us some time, and make our communities better.

What do you say?

PS Oh yes, there’s is one more thing you can do.
Plant a tree.
Because trees are able to store carbon dioxide they reduce air pollution levels by removing some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Thank you for being on this journey.

Wishing peace and health to you and your loved ones.

Till next time, Beth