88. Living on Planet Earth with Oliver Jeffers

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to new research by a team of U.S. and U.K. scientists</span> <a href= "https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2021/02/deaths-fossil-fuel-emissions-higher-previously-thought"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">published in</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Environmental Research</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Fossil fuels alone are responsible for more than 8 million premature deaths annually. That’s 1 out of 5 deaths.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let that sink in for a moment. 1 out of 5.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This figure underscores a fact absent from much public debate and discussion about climate change. While the fight to stop greenhouse gas pollution by curtailing fossil fuel use is framed in terms of how it would improve the future, it’s also true that fossil fuels are killing millions of people right now. And right now is the time to change our thinking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But when Climate scientists and activists are continuously imploring us to ‘look at the bigger picture’ to address climate change right now, what does this mean? How do we do it?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These are questions that our Outrage + Optimism guest, Oliver Jeffers tackles in this week’s interview with Christiana, Tom and Paul, as he delves into how he performs this perspective shift by ‘simple optics’ in his award winning picture books and visual art.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether brought on by an experience of art, science, religious practice, grief, love or parenthood, there is a need for us all to undergo a change in perspective and see beyond our day to day concerns and routines to grow an awareness of ourselves as a human family with a shared duty to protect our Earth, our home, from growing climate catastrophe. Art like Oliver’s, provides the perfect vehicle for this transformational and necessary journey which we hope you will all join us on.</spa