Before any actual bits and bobs today, the news out of Florida includes rescues, destruction, people still without power, and lots of water. As with any serious landfalling hurricane, many lives will be forever changed, and the aftermath will last for years, not days. Thinking of all those affected today, and hoping that personal and community resilience is prioritized as the recovery begins in earnest.
Onto some bits. And also a few bobs.
A book I’m reading:
Elaine Castillo’s ‘How to Read Now’ is a challenging and sometimes uncomfortable read, but that is partly her point. I came across reference to her book in Roxanne Gay’s Substack feed: The Audacity, and I think so far, it’s exactly on track. It’s an opinionated and smart (but not intellectually-fussy) series of essays on engaging more deeply with how we read not just books, but the world. It encourages us to sort through the context of current and past culture as we interpret the world and its writings, and it especially wants us to acknowledge the vestiges of the colonial lens that we mostly unwittingly still look through.
It’s bold and it’s making me think. My kind of book.
A show I’m watching:
The Great British Baking Show is back on! I love hearing the accents of my peeps, (though even I have to mentally rewind some of what Scottish James says). I don’t really have a sweet tooth so I rarely bake sweet things myself (though I do like flinging a bit of bread dough around), but this show is just wholesome, fun, and occasionally nail-biting entertainment. With lots of gingham. Just incredibly British. I really do look forward to this show all week.
A new dataset and tracking tool I’m exploring:
The NOAA Marine Microplastics Tracking Tool. It shows where, in the oceans, various concentrations of microplastics are observed (see the interactive map here). Though what it shows is fairly depressing, tools like this build our understanding of where and how to act. So, it’s another one of the important and data-rich services that NOAA, (especially its National Centers for Environmental Information) offers. Taxpayer money well-spent.
A bonus of this tool is that it introduced me to the word ‘fingerling’ which, other than in reference to a small, ovalish potato, I didn’t know. Apparently it is a baby fish, once it has reached the size of about a human finger. I don’t know why, but I find that adorable. (Not to be confused with ‘fish fingers’ which is the British word for ‘fish sticks’).
An option I’m pondering:
Lately, I have been contacted by quite a number of friends asking if I would mind having a conversation with a daughter/grandson/nephew/friend’s sister’s cousin about how to get into a career in climate or sustainability. I have to say I love these conversations, but I always find them a bit unsatisfying too, because there are so many ways to be part of the climate and sustainability field(s) right now that it’s hard to parse through what’s useful or relevant to the person in question in a brief call.
So, I’m considering hosting a short program to help those considering working in climate and sustainability to think broadly and to access people from across a diversity of fields. It would be part-coaching, part-workshop (I think).
I would assemble panelists who can talk not just about traditional kinds of options but also innovative and inspiring ways to engage, along with current gaps in the ‘market’ or what might be on the horizon, and also how to maintain a healthy mindset for working in these fields that are rife with burnout and anxiety.
I would likely try to seek sponsorship for the workshop/seminars (or perhaps it’s a podcast series?!) because I want participants (especially on the younger end) not to be limited in their participation by a registration fee.
But I haven’t landed on any particular format or even whether it’s the right thing at all, and I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions, including if there are people I should invite. Please share comments below (open to all), or if you want to share contact details for people, feel free to email anne@earthsnextchapter.com.
A minor rant I’m having:
There are Christmas things in the hardware store. It isn’t even October. Why can’t we just enjoy fall!? And Halloween! And Thanksgiving!? Stop the madness!!!!!
Those grinch lights are cute though.
Have a great weekend y’all.
I am thoroughly enjoying these Friday posts..... and I’m with you on the rant. :-/
What's the difference between the dots on the NOAA map? I couldn't see a key - I'm sure it's not good. Thanks for sharing :)
...and for the reminder about Fish Fingers in my childhood! :)