Solastalgia

Image by Annie Spratt via Unsplash

The term Solastalgia is a neologism (“solace” and “nostalgia”) that describes a form of emotional or existential distress caused by environmental change. It is best described as the lived experience of negatively perceived environmental change.

As my community burns around me, it is hard to feel positive about environmental issues. It’s not that people don’t care, I think. It’s just that people think too small. Generations ago, humanity was small and couldn’t affect the world except in our immediate vicinity. But, now, with 7.8 billion people, we affect everything around us. Our bad habits might have been minor annoyances when humanity totaled a billion people, but there is now just too many of us all with the same desire to drive a car, light a fire, or go fishing. However, we still think in terms of a handful of acres or a dozen square miles.

What’s one more fish? we think. What’s one more forest fire or cleared rainforest?

All this, times a billion.

Shut In

During the Pandemic, one of our few breaks from the isolation of our home has been the ability to go outside for short stretches. Honestly, I haven’t minded a lot of the elements of Quarantine as long as I felt that I could go for a run (or walk) whenever I needed to clear my head. K and I have made a habit of going on bike rides several times a week. Even when the heat has been a factor, the early mornings and late evenings have been alright to be outside.

During the last week, as the fires have darkened the skies outside along the West Coast, you can see the ash hanging like tiny snowflakes in the air. The sun looks vaguely creepy when it peaks out behind the cloud cover.

Today, our local area has an Air Quality Index of 186, which is designated “unhealthy.” There is an advisory to stay indoors, and even exercising in my garage makes my breathing weird. We’re lucky to have a filter on our A/C and have been running the fan for three days straight. My youngest and I have been playing a lot of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order over the last few days, and well, there is always more housework to do. Maybe I’ll try to do some more yoga.

Stay safe everyone, and stay indoors.

The World Is a Giant Campfire

Photo: Jessica Christian / The San Francisco Chronicle

I got up this morning to let my dog outside. When I opened the door, the air outside was hazy and grey, and the air smelled liked the inside of a disused barbeque.

Welcome to Life on the West Coast 2020.

The Cost for Golden Sunshine

There is a beautiful golden hue to the sunlight today. In the morning, the first rays of sunlight fell in amber lines across the grass. It was so pretty.

The sad part is that it the beautiful colors are from the effects of the local fires outside of Los Angeles.

I just wish my enjoyment of the real-life, sepia-tinged golden hour didn’t require acres of devastation.