Savin’ the Earth on St. Patrick’s Day
Serendipity is my old friend. I’ve certainly had more than my fair share of it. Though I’m not of Irish background, there does seem to be something Irish and a bit magical about it, at least in the musings of this octogenarian. Let me explain as best I can.
Several weeks ago, a reader of my column (whom I did not know) emailed me, asking if her daughter, Alma (not her real name), could meet to talk with me about her future. Alma is a junior at a university, I was told, and she would be coming home to Laguna for the spring or whatever break occurs at this time of year. Her mom told me that Alma wants to pursue a career centered on protecting the environment. Would I meet with the two of them and provide some advice to Alma? The mother politely asked.
In my fourteen years of writing this column, I don’t recall having a request quite like this one. Still, my forty years of teaching in the college classroom told me to say “yes,” and the three of us met at my home on our recent St. Patrick’s Day.
After they arrived in the late afternoon, I served us some tea. (I don’t know how to make coffee, and operating my wife’s fussy coffee machine is way above my pay grade.) Before I could begin asking Alma questions, the two of them asked me to tell them something about me. Taken off guard, I rambled and muttered for a few minutes about my circuitous journey to becoming an environmental activist, historian and writer.
Then, I pointedly asked Alma what she was passionate about. “Nature, especially animals,” she replied. “I love being able to ride my bike to class,” she added, saying she was a committed recycler. Naturally, that resonated with me. I told her she was far more advanced in her ecological thinking than I was at her age. Alma said one of her favorite books was Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History.” I have that critically acclaimed book but cannot bring myself to read it. I credit Alma, though, for having done so.
Next, I explored some career possibilities with Alma. She likes to read, research, and write, I was told. We discussed such fields as being a sustainability officer for a company, being a staffer for a governmental agency dealing with environmental issues, journalism, and teaching. In hindsight, I regret not suggesting a career in environmental law, especially since this field is becoming increasingly important with oil and other chemical spills, toxic air and water, mega wildfires and floods, and bulging landfills. We talked about internships with environmental organizations, as well.
In that regard, I urged Alma to inquire about internships with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), the Sierra Club and similar civic sector organizations. Moreover, I suggested that both she and her mother consider joining CCL and advocating for putting a price on carbon and streamlining permitting reform to provide for the needed transmission lines to carry clean, non-fossil fuel energy to all parts of the country. They both expressed interest.
As the sun set, the two thanked me for my time and suggestions and agreed to stay in contact. Our meeting inspired me. I like that Alma’s mother took the initiative for the three of us to meet; I like that the student sees so clearly the stark environmental challenges facing the planet and all of us and that this young woman feels the responsibility to act. Society needs more people like the two of them. They gave me a special St. Patrick’s Day experience. How serendipitous, indeed.
Tom Osborne is an environmental historian and activist. He’s writing his fifth book, a history of California’s environmental leadership. With his wife, Ginger, he co-leads the Laguna chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. [email protected].
