{"id":446345,"date":"2020-09-10T13:41:49","date_gmt":"2020-09-10T20:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=446345"},"modified":"2020-09-10T13:41:49","modified_gmt":"2020-09-10T20:41:49","slug":"brooke-forde-on-wildfires-climate-change-2020-is-not-cursed-its-the-result-of-our-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/brooke-forde-on-wildfires-climate-change-2020-is-not-cursed-its-the-result-of-our-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooke Forde on Wildfires, Climate Change: ‘2020 is Not Cursed, it’s the Result of Our Actions’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brooke Forde posts response to wildfires and climate change in 2020.<\/em><\/p>\n

The year 2020 has been seemingly one disaster after another world wide, but especially in the United States.<\/p>\n

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc everywhere, leaving health, sports and political discord in its wake. Racial tensions in the U.S. are at a fever pitch after several killings of unarmed Black Americans, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and Americans looking for unity.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, wildfires are ripping through California, destroying the land and sending thousands from their homes.<\/p>\n

Stanford NCAA champion<\/a> Brooke Forde<\/strong> posted a photo of what the sky on campus looks like because of the fires. She accompanied it with a call to action for everyone, saying that everything that has happened in 2020 was created by people, not a curse of 2020.<\/p>\n

Here is her post:<\/p>\n

Rant warning because I am not ok with having this view at afternoon practice…<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

2020 is not cursed! 2020 is not unlucky! 2020 is climate change. 2020 is the result of our actions! And climate change doesn\u2019t end in 2020. Every calamitous event this year, including COVID-19, has been caused or exacerbated by global climate change (DM me if you want the research behind any of it). Waiting for these situations to disappear at the turn of the calendar will not work! There will be many more years that look like 2020 if we don\u2019t change our course.<\/p>\n

If floods, heat waves, or storms have made your life less comfortable, weigh that against the \u201cdiscomfort\u201d of making a small change to your consumption habits.<\/p>\n

If your plans have been put on hold due to COVID, weigh that against the small amount of time it takes to walk or bike instead of driving somewhere.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been disturbed by racial injustice and protests, weigh that against the hassle of buying from companies that don\u2019t disproportionately pollute communities of color.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re uncomfortable breathing in the smoke from a wildfire, weigh that against the discomfort of taking a slightly shorter shower each day.<\/p>\n

If you have spent extra money protecting yourself from a storm, fire, or virus, compare that amount to a small investment in local products, cleaner energy, or sustainable brands.<\/p>\n

If you feel suffocated by your mask, vote for politicians who will stop suffocating chemicals from being pumped into our air.<\/p>\n

The world is giving us overt warning signs right now- please don\u2019t ignore them! If you have complained about \u201c2020\u201d but have not changed your habits, what kind of 2021 are you preparing for? It doesn\u2019t have to be big, but DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. And vote.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Rant warning because I am not ok with having this view at afternoon practice… 2020 is not cursed! 2020 is not unlucky! 2020 is climate change. 2020 is the result of our actions! And climate change doesn\u2019t end in 2020. Every calamitous event this year, including COVID-19, has been caused or exacerbated by global climate change (DM me if you want the research behind any of it). Waiting for these situations to disappear at the turn of the calendar will not work! There will be many more years that look like 2020 if we don\u2019t change our course. If floods, heat waves, or storms have made your life less comfortable, weigh that against the \u201cdiscomfort\u201d of making a small change to your consumption habits. If your plans have been put on hold due to COVID, weigh that against the small amount of time it takes to walk or bike instead of driving somewhere. If you\u2019ve been disturbed by racial injustice and protests, weigh that against the hassle of buying from companies that don\u2019t disproportionately pollute communities of color. If you\u2019re uncomfortable breathing in the smoke from a wildfire, weigh that against the discomfort of taking a slightly shorter shower each day. If you have spent extra money protecting yourself from a storm, fire, or virus, compare that amount to a small investment in local products, cleaner energy, or sustainable brands. If you feel suffocated by your mask, vote for politicians who will stop suffocating chemicals from being pumped into our air. The world is giving us overt warning signs right now- please don\u2019t ignore them! If you have complained about \u201c2020\u201d but have not changed your habits, what kind of 2021 are you preparing for? It doesn\u2019t have to be big, but DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. And vote.<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Brooke Forde<\/a> (@brooke4d) on