I have a confession: my clothes closet needs a major reorganization. I can’t find things, and there are items of clothes in there that haven’t been worn since before we moved here in 2010. Other articles needing (but not receiving) repair are in a heap. Scads of old, tired looking things or others that don’t fit well are tucked here and there. I am overwhelmed with the scale of the task, so it doesn’t get done.
Likewise, the scale of the climate disasters we hear about on the news often feels too large for us to grasp. In fact, a new phrase has been coined to describe how many of us feel about the overwhelming issues we face with our planet: “climate doomism.” This term describes the idea that we believe there is nothing we can do to reverse the effects of the current climate crisis.
The problem with feeling overwhelmed with anything—from the smallest of tasks like cleaning a closet to the massive scale of dealing with global warming—is that it often leads to inaction.
Behaviorists suggest a way of solving overwhelming situations, which is to shrink the task down. For example, with my clothes closet, maybe I could just start with one side, or even one shelf. Just thinking of that option relieves me some of my anxiety.
With climate change, perhaps if we scale down the global issues to what’s going on in our own watershed—or even just on our horse property—then maybe tangible solutions will begin to appear.
When I teach climate change practices for horse owners, some of the simple things I encourage are composting, rotational grazing, and water conservation. Each of these practices improves soil health, which makes soils better able to retain moisture and increases pasture productivity. As more grass grows, it shades the soil to prevent water loss. Furthermore, the plants sequester carbon, reducing harmful greenhouse gases. Horses for Clean Water has tip sheets on each of these practices—and more. Plus, we are offering an online Masterclass series this fall on horse keeping and land management, with a focus on climate resiliency practices.
We hope you’ll join Horses for Clean Water this fall to learn about nature-based solutions for managing your horse property and how to become more chore-efficient—and just in time for winter!
And maybe you’ll even get your closet cleaned out, too.
In hope and in action,
Alayne
