Less than 40 years from now, a 16-inch rise in sea level precipitated by global warming will swallow a sizable chunk of Sausalito's historic waterfront, according to scientifically rendered climate simulation models.
The impacts of climate change in our backyards are already evidenced by the current drought and unusual weather patterns throughout California. At California's Climate Change Portal, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) reports on 36 indicators of climate change in the State, including decreasing spring snowmelt runoff, warming ocean and lake water, rising sea levels, increasing wildfires and the migration of plants and animals to higher locations.
Already, higher tides in the Tam Junction area of Southern Marin frequently close freeway access to Mill Valley from Sausalito. Wildlife indicators of climate change include the growing number of emaciated sea lion pups at Sausalito's Marin Mammal Center, and wetland birds like the brown pelican, the clapper rail and the western snowy plover are threatened by increasingly powerful storm surges.
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In an effort to engage the community in addressing climate change, Yoga of Sausalito is initiating a series of community climate change education events.
The series launches Friday, April 11 at 7:30 pm, with a presentation “Preventing Climate Chaos: Civilization’s Greatest Challenge“ by Peter Joseph, MD.
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Dr. Joseph is the leader of the Marin Chapter of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby and was trained as a climate change educator by former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Reality Project.
The timing for this community outreach couldn't be more opportune as, nationally, the Obama administration has declared 2014 the year in which it will aggressively move climate change to the forefront of its agenda. And none too soon, given the fact that a recent NASA report revealed that ninety-seven percent of climate scientists believe global warming is happening and that human activity is the primary driver. Yet, in the United States, about half the general public still believe the science is not yet reliable.
Just this month, the White House released the Climate Data Initiative, a website designed to centralize and demystify climate information so the public can easily access and interpret information on the changing climate and those regions most vulnerable to rising seas, floods, hurricanes and drought.
Starting Now!
- Sign up for Yoga of Sausalito's April 11 event: Climate Chaos: Civilization’s Greatest Challenge.
- Watch or record Showtime's first episode of Years of Living Dangerously Sunday, April 13. This eight-part climate change education series features such well known entertainers and media personalities as Harrison Ford, Leslie Stahl, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Thomas Friedman and Chris Hayes.
- Watch and read excerpts from The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies book Global Warming's Six Americas.
- Take the What's Your Climate Profile quiz to determine which of the six Americas you belong to.
- Clear your calendar for the evening of Friday, May 23, when Yoga of Sausalito hosts the Marin Chapter of 350.org
