A flesh-eating fungus is expanding its range in the American Southwest – and scientists suspect climate change is driving the spread
by ILikeNeurons
A flesh-eating fungus is expanding its range in the American Southwest – and scientists suspect climate change is driving the spread
by ILikeNeurons
4 comments
[removed]
As a fan of Last of Us, I frankly welcome our new fungi overlords. They’ll be better for the planet anyways.
1. [**Vote**](https://www.environmentalvoter.org/sign-the-pledge). People who prioritize climate change and the environment [have not been very reliable voters, which explains much of the lackadaisical response of lawmakers](https://www.environmentalvoter.org/news/millions-environmentalists-are-registered-vote-us-dont-what-if-they-did), and many Americans don’t realize we should be voting (on average) [in 3-4 elections per year](https://www.environmentalvoter.org/news/millions-environmentalists-are-registered-vote-us-dont-what-if-they-did). In 2018 in the U.S., the percentage of voters prioritizing the environment [more than tripled](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/green/A-Green-Wave-Signs-Point-to-Voters-Demanding-Action-on-Climate-Change-502796391.html), and now [climate change is a priority issue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_Deal) for lawmakers. Even if you don’t like any of the candidates or live in a ‘safe’ district, [**whether or not you vote is a matter of public record**](https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/april-may-june-2018/planet-earth-gets-a-ground-game/), and **[it’s fairly easy to figure out if you care about the environment or climate change](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCL1luiOM7U&t=2m53s)**. Politicians [use this information](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1468-2508.2005.00357.x) to prioritize agendas. Voting in every election, even the minor ones, [will raise the profile and power of your values](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCL1luiOM7U&t=2m53s). If you don’t [vote](https://voteclimatepac.org/voters-guide/), you and your values can safely be ignored.
2. [**Lobby**](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/join-citizens-climate-lobby/?tfa_3590416195188=Online-002&utm_source=Online&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=002). [Lobbying works](https://meridian.allenpress.com/mobilization/article-abstract/21/2/213/83011/Friends-or-Foes-How-Social-Movement-Allies-Affect), and you [don’t need a lot of money to be effective](https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?amp;rep=rep1&type=pdf&doi=10.1.1.1016.1967) (though it does help to [educate yourself on effective tactics](http://www.congressfoundation.org/storage/documents/CMF_Pubs/cmf-citizen-centric-advocacy.pdf)). Becoming an active volunteer with [this group](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/join-citizens-climate-lobby/?tfa_3590416195188=Online-002&utm_source=Online&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=002) is the [most important thing an individual can do on climate change](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4DAW1A6Ca8), according to NASA climatologist [James Hansen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hansen). If you’re too busy to go through the [free training](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/new-member/#climateadvocatetraining), sign up for [text alerts](https://cclusa.org/w) to join coordinated call-in days ([it works](http://www.congressfoundation.org/storage/documents/CMF_Pubs/cmf-citizen-centric-advocacy.pdf), if you *actually call*) or set yourself a monthly reminder to [write a letter](https://www.ted.com/talks/omar_ahmad_political_change_with_pen_and_paper?language=en) to your elected officials.
Not fast enought tho