Prepare for Climate Disaster and Recovery

By creating societies based on degrowth, ecological regeneration, socioeconomic justice, participatory democracy, and peace

During my first haircut of the new year, Sam Antaramian, superb haircutter and owner of Ardea Salon in Black Mountain, NC, shared with me some of her Helene experiences of devastation, grief, gratitude, and love of home, neighbors, and family. She and I agreed that Helene was and is our teacher. We humans are part of nature and there are no safe havens in this era of climate disaster and ecocide.

Three months after Helene, it is still disorienting to see huge fallen trees, piles of debris and rubbish everywhere, and smashed businesses, homes, and bridges in and around Swannanoa, NC. It will take many years to recover and rebuild. Fortunately, our home and the homes of neighbors on our road were not damaged. Driving anywhere, however, is to experience trauma, shock, and sadness.

Of course, throughout history and evolution, humans have suffered death, destruction, and societal chaos from earthquakes, fires, smoke, heatwaves, droughts, volcanic eruptions, floods, tornados, hurricanes, landslides, ice, pandemics, and famines. In our time, our species and indeed all species around planet Earth are affected by the destruction and chaos of climate change and ecocide. What can this teach us? How must we change our ways of being Earthlings?

Helene taught us a few lessons for localities: Don’t build on a flood plain. Don’t build near large trees. Don’t build near coastlines or bodies of water. Drill water wells and have backup generators for every building. Grow food at or near your home. Have home solar energy. Don’t build near fault lines. Don’t build in or near forests. Don’t build on mountainsides. Have underground shelters. Don’t build near an active volcano. Home and loved ones are our greatest treasures.

A few of Helene’s national and global lessons include: Expand FEMA and other disaster relief programs. Be ready to immediately provide disaster recovery. Have thousands of mini-homes available. Call out the national guard to help respond to natural disasters. Have backup cellphone and internet services ready. Stop extracting and burning fossil fuels. Shift to green energy from sun, wind, water, and geothermal. Reduce extraction of natural resources. Reduce manufacturing and consumption. Stop use of pesticides. Stop use of plastics. Elect governments that are preparing for climate disaster and recovery.

Overall, we must shift from creating societies based on the illusion of unlimited growth and wealth creation for a few to building societies based on degrowth, sustainability, ecological regeneration, and socioeconomic justice that can meet the basic needs of all people and all living beings. We need to awaken leaders of corporations and government to compassion and environmental stewardship.

After my haircut, I dropped off three books for facilitator Diana McCall at her request including Bruce Williams’ second edition of Fifty Ways to Build Team Consensus, Jo Nelson’s second edition of The Art of Focused Conversations, and my book A Compassionate Civilization. I am so proud of Diana. She is helping many groups with her skills of facilitating effective strategic planning, implementation, team work, and conversation. I am honored to be one of her mentors.

Also this week, Dr. Ameena Zia, who lives near Asheville, NC, and is head of Blue Ridge Consulting, asked me to speak to her students in Pakistan who are in the UN experiential fellows’ global program. I am excited to do this on Zoom with her. In previous years, we produced and shared podcasts of our discussions, interviews, and talks with her US students and fellows.

Today, we are having the first snowfall this winter here in Swannanoa, NC. Hoping that everyone is warm and safe. Some people are still in tents. Tonight it is in the twenties with high winds. Our neighborhood road is icy. We are leaving our house taps dripping and hoping that we will not lose power or internet.

May we each do all that we can as grateful Earthlings to catalyze and embody a compassionate, ecologically sound life, family, community, country, and planetary society.

May it be so.