The equinox happens when day and night are equal in length. This happens twice each year — once in spring (vernal) and again in the fall (autumnal). Do you prefer one to the other?
Share why if you wish.
Vernal Or Autumnal Equinox?
Month: March 2022
Is Thirteen An Unlucky Number?
Some people think thirteen is an unlucky number. Some even go so far as to avoid the 13th floor of hotels, or the 13th row of an airplane. Is there any truth to this fear? If not, why does it exist?
Share why if you wish.
Climate Change: How Would You Act If Your House Was On Fire?
For decades humans have known that we are driving climate change. And for most of that time, it’s been clear that unless we change our ways, the planet may become largely, if not wholly, inhospitable to humans as well as many other plants and animals.
The experts tell us that we’ve reached a tipping point. We cannot reverse climate change any longer. The best we can hope for is to stop the progress and mitigate the damages we’ve already wrought — the impacts we see now as well as those that are already in motion due to current actions.
Concretely, the United Nations warns us that we will experience hotter temperatures, more severe storms, increased droughts, rising ocean levels, loss of species, not enough food, increased health risks, and increased poverty and displacement.
Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss the related question: ‘What are you willing to sacrifice?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘What do you believe?’
Our house is on fire.
It’s been burning for quite some time. But the fire, until fairly recently, progressed slowly. Not so any longer. The pace of climate change has been increasing. And every year, it seems we need to recalculate the rate of change to faster still. To stop the progress and mitigate the damages will require immediate changes to the world, national, and local economies; more sustainable agriculture practices; assistance to struggling regions of the world already seeing life-threatening impacts; sustainable technologies (old and new), and dramatic changes to our personal lives.
While some advocate for the necessary immediate changes, the dominant view appears to be kicking the can down the road. We convince ourselves that new technologies will save us or that younger generations will take this seriously and enact needed changes. So, we’re either pinning ourselves to shallow hope or acknowledging that the pains of change are not ones we will initiate.
We should expect more of ourselves. How would you act if your house was on fire? Because it is.
Related questions: How is climate change impacting you? What is keeping us from sustaining the planet? What is the greatest problem facing humanity?
French Fries With Ketchup Or Mayo?
When you eat french fries, do you prefer to dip them in ketchup, or dip them in mayonnaise?
Share why if you wish.
French Fries With Ketchup Or Mayo?
What Is The Most Used App On Your Phone?
These days, most Americans rely on their phones for many tasks, including communication, navigation, and information. What app do you use the most?
Share why if you wish.