The Collapse of Western Civilization was a wakeup call to me. Never has the thought of the environment lingered in my mind. Yes, I encounter the different dimensions of the environment day by day but I have never bothered to look beyond what I see. Like delve deeper into the causes of floods, hurricanes and acidic rains, how I might be a contributing factor or ways in which that can be stopped. I think it’s time that we show great and grave concern to things that we think that they don’t matter because well, they might be the reason behind our sufferings and miserable lives.

The Earth’s climate has warmed over the last century and man-made greenhouse gases have caused much of that global warming.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-ipcc-fifth-assessment-report-ar5-the-latest-assessment-of-climate-science

Silence, Language and Expertise in The Book of Salt

"Take no one's word for anything., including mine--but trust your experience... Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as, what they do and cause you to endure, does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity and fear. Please try to be clear, dear James, through the storm which rages about your youthful head today, about the reality which lies behind the words acceptance and integration. There is no reason for you to try to become like white people and there is no basis whatever for their impertinent assumption that they must accept you. The really terrible thing, old buddy, is that you must accept them. And I mean that very seriously.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2016/11/all_is_not_lost_on_climate_change.html

All Over Creation explores the roles of belief and practicality in determining groups relationships to the environment. On one hand are the potato farmers who believe they have no choice but to use genetically modified seeds, on the other hand are the ‘Seeds of the Resistance’ an activist group advocating for GMO labeling. The third group are the residents of Liberty Falls who never confront the issue but object to the Seeds presence and their way of life. The three groups in Ozeki’s novel seem irreconcilably at odds but and the story begs the question if there’s any way for them to come together.

The government is striving towards the use of clean energy, specifically by increasing the amount of use of electric vehicles.  Some advances include increasing the amount of electric vehicle charging stations and studies have also been planned to identify the optimal number of charging stations and the best practices for fast charging installation and maintenance costs. Many states and local governments have joined in the effort by trying to cut greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the usage of zero emission vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and/or modernizing transportation systems.

The article I read was about agriculture, and how governments need to reshape how food is grown and distributed in order to make sure that we have enough to eat over the coming years. Currently, there are ongoing UN climate talks in Marrakesh, and much of the talk is about how changes need to be made in order to provide that every individual has access to food. Farming is actually a huge problem in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, and apparently accounts for a quarter of carbon emissions. So really, there are two problems wrapped up into one: Making sure there is enough food, and making sure the food is produced in an environmentally friendly way.

Many Washington state voters voted against adding the direct tax on carban emmissions to the state's new Clean Air Rule. This does not mean the representative are going to try by 2018 to pass something through the Washington Legislature, which will later support of alternative energy projects to reduce the negative effects of climate change. Carbon Washington is an orgnaization that will keep working on carbon pricing, first at state but then they hope it will reach country wide.

http://www.ktoo.org/2016/11/12/washington-voters-reject-carbon-tax-but-battle-over-global-warming-continues/

“It starts with the earth. How can it not? Imagine the planet like a split peach, whose pit forms the core, whose flesh its mantle and whose fuzzy skin its crust-no, that doesn’t do justice to the crust, which is, after all, where all life takes place” (p.1). All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki is a novel that advocates for non-chemical agricultural methods. Besides the enormous family drama involved, it is also cornered at agribusiness and environmental activism. The seeds of resistance, an irrepressible eco-activist group, spawned protest In regards to genetically engineered foods. They stormed supermarkets and even went ahead to uproot the planted inorganic plants at Will’s farm.