Noah, the ark and the climate

“Noah warns us that humans cause climate change” (November 1) is especially important at a time when there have been record-breaking temperatures, an increase in the number and severity of storms, floods, droughts, wildfires, rapid melting of glaciers and polar icecaps, and other examples of a worsening climate.

We do not have a Noah building an ark today in an effort to alert others to an upcoming flood, but we do have thousands of climate experts warning that we have very little time to make major changes to have a chance of averting a climate catastrophe.

Also, unlike in Noah’s time, we are getting wake-up calls almost daily, in terms of the several climate events mentioned above, most recently the massive wildfires that are devastating California.

In order to avert a future similar to that of Noah’s generation, we must make averting a climate catastrophe a central focus of civilization today. What can each of us actually do right now? 1) Plant trees and any sort of plants you can – they purify the air; 2) Minimize consumption of polluting products and those with plastic containers and wrappings; 3) Fly less, since airplanes pollute the air significantly; 4) Prefer public transportation, bicycling and walking to private cars; and 5) Transition toward a healthful plant-based diet, which will also improve your physical and spiritual well-being!

BATZION SHLOMI Afula