On a blustery nor’easter night in New York City many years ago, I was overcome with a case of cabin fever. I wrapped myself in layers and braved the swirling snow, wandering aimlessly down the ghostly, white-veiled Bleecker Street.

Without a plan or destination, fate led me to the glowing marquee of a neighborhood cinema just as it was about to screen its final movie of the night: Casablanca. I hesitated – a 1942 black-and-white film wasn’t exactly what I had in mind to cure my restlessness. But what else was I going to do?

In the solitude of the cinema, I perched my feet up for my premiere. I laughed and cried, completely enraptured by the timeless tale unfolding before me. I’m so glad I watched it. What I did learn when in doubt, was to do the thing.

That approach was a good one until, stuck at home with COVID-19 (again), I decided to brave the Republican primary debate between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. It felt like walking through an awful storm, but instead of finding a cute movie to watch, I fell into a seemingly endless hole of garbage. Do not play it again, Sam.

This week on The Meltdown, we’ll briefly discuss some of the climate issues mentioned in the debate before delving into some healthy New Year’s resolutions and why America can’t and won’t step away from the world.

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Drizzle

In short, Gov. DeSantis and Gov. Haley want to rip up all of Biden’s green policies.

No surprise there. DeSantis, who doesn’t believe humans cause climate change, said the U.S. shouldn’t have to reduce its fossil fuel emissions until nations like China and India do the same. For a man who thinks the country should be more isolationist, you have to wonder why China and India matter to him at all.

This seems more like a strawman argument.

Indeed, it’s easier just to let us all know which oil and gas companies are funding his campaigns. While it’s true that China and India are significant producers of greenhouse emissions, they are also enormous developing countries that support billions of people and are called on to produce 30% of the world’s manufacturing output.

Ya know, all that crap you buy from Amazon.

Imagine if the U.S. was asked to stop using fossil fuels during the industrial revolution. Unemployment would soar, manufacturing output would flatten, and I imagine it would lead to a humanitarian crisis.

I have no doubt India and China would like to avoid this.

That’s partly why nearly every country (not the United States or China) committed to collectively providing $100 billion to developing countries to mitigate the high emissions associated with developing countries and supporting huge populations.

That commitment was agreed upon in 2009 and was due to start in 2020. While some wealthy nations have claimed the goal was met, some say there’s no evidence to support the claim.

I don’t understand why U.S. climate action is predicated on what China and India do or don’t do. Wouldn’t it be unusual if New Orleans refused to solve its high murder rate until Chicago did?

To her credit, Gov. Haley took a more moderate approach by pointing out that we all want clean air, clean water, and a healthy world to hand to our grandchildren. Agreed. And yet, she also wants to rip up Biden’s green policies. Of all the gin joints…

Touch Grass

When thinking about your New Year’s resolutions, you probably weren’t thinking about how to deal with political malaise or incompetence, given that it’s been a part of our lives for so long.

But here are five ways you can block out the nonsense and focus on yourself more.

Welcome life’s twists and turns: Treat each change in your life as a golden ticket to personal growth and new adventures. Shedding your old skin and stepping into the unknown is like opening a treasure chest of fresh experiences and insights, enriching your journey with unexpected gems.

Anchor your day with gratitude: Bookend your days with a moment of gratitude. Whether celebrating a big win or savoring the joy of a perfect cup of coffee, this ritual of appreciation infuses your life with a positive glow, influencing how you see the world and connect with those around you.

Think mindfulness: Weave mindfulness into the fabric of your daily routine. Whether through a quiet meditation session, savoring each bite of your meal, or fully immersing yourself in the here and now, these practices build a deeper bond with your inner self, cut down stress, and enrich your interactions and life experiences.

Non-Negotiable self-care: Elevate self-care to a non-negotiable status in your life. Carve out time for activities that replenish your spirit, like a rejuvenating jog, getting lost in a good book, or unwinding in a bubble bath. Remember, refilling your cup is essential to pour into the lives of others.

Empathy as a Superpower: Cultivate empathy by making a conscious effort to feel and understand the emotions of others. This skill strengthens your relationships, nurtures compassion, and broadens your perspective, allowing you to appreciate the rich tapestry of human experiences.

Compost Dump

While globalization may have downsides, isolationism is not a solution for the United States or our climate change woes. It may not even be possible.

I recently came across the global risk society theory. Imagine the world is like a giant Jenga game. Each block is a different country doing its own thing, building up technology and businesses to improve life. This is what we call modernization or globalization — when countries grow and connect more and more.

But, like in Jenga, the higher you build, the riskier it gets. This is where the theory comes in. It says that as countries build and grow, especially with factories and development (the modernization part), they accidentally create problems that affect the whole world, not just one country. A big example is climate change, where the Earth gets warmer because of all the pollution we create.

The tricky part is that these problems don’t care about borders; they’re like clouds drifting over all the countries. That’s why every person and every country around the world needs to work together to solve them.

This theory points out that our old ways of doing things aren’t good enough to fix these new, big problems. We need to think differently, like focusing on caring for the environment and working together more as a global team. It’s like realizing in Jenga that you must be careful and think about every move so the whole tower doesn’t come crashing down.

And as long as the U.S. keeps polluting the Earth, it doesn’t get to quit this game of Jenga. Hey, at least we’ll always have Paris (the agreement).

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See you next week. Christopher Harress (Read my work here)