Santa Claus & Stopping Sea Level Rise: It’s fun to believe…
Most everyone can recall the joy of the Santa Claus story, either as children, or even as parents. For generations in countries all over the world, it has been such fun to find the presents under the tree as a special ritual. Even though we know it’s a fable, it underscores the importance of beliefs, fantasies, and dreams.
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
Perhaps the best enshrinement of the belief is the “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” essay, originating in an 1897 Sun Newspaper letter, and as alive today as ever. Eight year old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the newspaper with the famous question, “Is there a Santa Claus?” Francis Church, the Editor, wrote the now famous response, that is often reprinted, even a century later. It eloquently supports the importance of belief, faith, and fantasy.
A Different Fantasy — And Not So Harmless
Though totally different than the question about the truth about Santa Claus is the question of whether we can stop rising sea level. I know I should not mix these two situations, but given my work, it is hard to avoid the contrast. Most adults believe that we can somehow stop the sea from rising. It’s a fantasy. We want to believe that the shoreline will stay right where we like it.
Some might argue that it is better to stay in the realm of make-believe on this one too, but I think not.
In the coming decades, it will become painfully apparent that the ice melting on Antarctica and Greenland cannot be stopped, that the sea will keep rising, and that shorelines everywhere will move inland. The sooner that the world realizes the facts, the faster we will begin serious adaptation.
Now is the time to face reality and the truth of our situation so we can create a thriving world for future generations.
As part of that effort to help the world understand, plan, and adapt, we are moving forward with the nonprofit International Sea Level Institute. It will be a resource hub for good information and policy development. It will operate at different levels to inform governments, select professions, the business community and the public.
Our first effort at public outreach will be the “Sea Level Minute” a new series of one minute videos designed for the web and social media. We want to get the first twenty segments completed in the first part of 2019.
We have created a crowd funding campaign to raise the funds to produce and promote these first twenty programs. You can see the first video at HELP FUND THE SEA LEVEL MINUTE.
Please consider a donation and make others aware via social media.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!