Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
George CarlinRead
For millions of Americans, climate change is no longer just a chart or a graph. It's the smoke on our tongues from massive wildfires. It's the floodwater invading our homes and record-breaking hurricanes and heat waves.
Interpretation
Climate change is a tangible reality affecting people's lives and experiences.
Jay Inslee's quote emphasizes that climate change is not just an abstract concept represented by data, but a real and visceral experience impacting daily life. The vivid imagery of smoke from wildfires and floodwaters highlights the immediate and personal consequences of environmental changes, urging a recognition of climate change as a significant and urgent issue facing society.
In practice
In a speech about environmental policy, I might say, 'As Jay Inslee noted, climate change is like the smoke on our tongues from wildfires.'
Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
There's no palette as rich as a garden. And the intensity of it - I make this statement all the time: You can't plan nature; you court her.
If my grandchildren were to look at me and say, 'You were aware species were disappearing and you did nothing, you said nothing', that I think is culpable. I don't know how much more they expect me to be doing, I'd better ask them.
We have such a brief opportunity to pass on to our children our love for this Earth, and to tell our stories. These are the moments when the world is made whole. In my children's memories, the adventures we've had together in nature will always exist.
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as Heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."
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