Bringing Al Gore's Climate Project Home

Nashville, Tennessee was the site for Al Gore’s training seminar of the final 150 participants in his Climate Project, based in large part on An Inconvenient Truth, and aiming at reaching Americans from all walks of life. Gore’s desire to reach 1,000 potential trainees was met with almost ten times as many applicants for an intensive, two day workshop about presenting the global warming crisis to people, and encouraging them to take actions that could reduce the human impact of environmental catastrophe.

While some still deny that we are, in fact, facing a global climate crisis, the evidence from scientific studies, historical records and the weather itself is overwhelmingly suggesting that we have very little time to do something about the human impact on world-wide weather.

One of the attendees of Gore’s latest workshop was Kat High, a Native American of the Hupa nation and a southern California resident. Kat was selected to receive the training because of her long-standing commitment to environmental and cultural issues, and her ability to present these from an ancient, and yet fresh, perspective.

By now most people have some rudimentary understanding that our planet is in a time of flux and change, but how we relate to these changes isn’t as clear to many. Kat brings that message home with an understanding of ancient wisdom. Native Americans have always viewed themselves in relation to their environment, not apart from it.

Urban life gives us some comfort from the natural elements, and some distance from our relationship to those elements. Our water comes from a source we seldom witness…light and electricity from a network of cables that are, these days, buried underground and out of sight. We rarely think about the weather except in relationship to our wardrobe. Drought is an inconvenience that means we will pay more for water. Polar bears live so far away, it’s difficult to relate to their plight as they die for want of sea ice.

Kat wants to bring the awareness of our connection to the living planet back into focus for those who have lost it. And she wants to empower people from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to take positive actions with regard to their impact on the planet.

“There’s simple things people can do in their everyday lives to consume less and impact the environment in a friendlier manner” says Kat High, founder of the Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center in the Angeles National Forest.

“Not everyone can afford to take the bigger steps, like installing solar panels on their houses and buying hybrid vehicles. In fact, a lot of people don’t even own houses. That doesn’t mean they are powerless. They can take simple steps to reduce their carbon emissions.”

One of the biggest simple steps people can take is changing their light bulbs in their homes to the fluorescent variety. The added bonus…they will save money on their electric bills when they do.

“When you show people that living in a more friendly relationship to the environment actually saves them money, they get more interested in doing things.”

Kat points to other examples of simple things people can do to save energy and live in a more environmentally friendly manner.

“If there’s a draft coming in under your door, roll up a towel and put it on the floor to block the draft. Turn off lights and appliances when you leave a room. Don’t run the television just for background noise.” These seem like simple suggestions, but the cumulative impact in terms of energy savings, and lower utility bills, can be profound.

Another simple solution lies in understanding and utilizing the power of the sun. Windows can be a tremendous source of heat generation and heat loss. A home can be warmed by the sun by simply opening drapes to let in its light for warmth, and conversely, closing them to keep that light out when more warmth isn’t needed.

While blinds provide the same light function, most of them do little to insulate a home. A good set of drapes provides insulation between the window glass and the interior space, both in winter and summer. Drapery traps layers of air near the window and prevents much of the unwanted heating and cooling of rooms that occurs with bare glass or glass covered with blinds.

Heat rises, and air needs to circulate to facilitate effective temperature change. Opening one window may allow some air to enter or exit, but opening two windows creates an opportunity for air to flow; for hot air to rise and escape, and cool air to enter in its place. Fans use a great deal less energy than air conditioning units, and provide a healthy flow of air circulation.

In southern California, it’s difficult to live without a car. While public transportation is improving, most Californians rely upon their vehicles on a daily basis.

“Plan your trips” Kat Suggests, “so that you aren’t running all over town two or three times a day to buy one or two items. Make lists of what you need and figure out the most efficient way to get them, like doing all of your shopping in a single trip instead of multiple trips. Find local places to get what your goods instead of just going to where you are accustomed to shopping, regardless of the distance.”

Driving habits can influence the cost and efficiency of operating a vehicle as well. “If you know you have to be somewhere at a certain time, leave a few minutes earlier than you need to, and avoid rushing” Kat suggests. “Instead of accelerating as hard as you can as soon as the light turns green, accelerate gently. You’ll save gas, and you’ll prolong the life of your engine as well.” With gas prices in California being the highest in the nation, this is sound advice for everyone.

For those with the urge to garden, Kat suggests looking to the natural environment for inspiration.

“Where ever you live, there are plants that are adapted to the particular biomes and weather conditions of the region. Planting a garden that utilizes indigenous plants means that the garden will thrive because it is in its natural environment. Chances are you’ll use less water on them, and you’ll be supporting the indigenous birds and other species by cultivating plants that are natural to their habitat.”

Kat plans to incorporate these simple steps in her climate project presentations, along with the knowledge presented in the slide show, an adaptation of An Inconvenient Truth.

“People have to understand why it’s important that they pay attention to the condition of our planet” says Kat, “but it’s just as important that they know there are things they can do to make a difference. When they learn that they can even save money by making simple changes in their daily lives, now you’ve given them a reason and a motivation that’s personally relevant. Now saving the planet isn’t something that’s ‘out there’ and external, disconnected from their day to day life. Now the connection starts making sense.”
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