Brooke Forde on Wildfires, Climate Change: ‘2020 is Not Cursed, it’s the Result of Our Actions’

Photo Courtesy: Instagram/Brooke Forde

Brooke Forde posts response to wildfires and climate change in 2020.

The year 2020 has been seemingly one disaster after another world wide, but especially in the United States.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc everywhere, leaving health, sports and political discord in its wake. Racial tensions in the U.S. are at a fever pitch after several killings of unarmed Black Americans, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and Americans looking for unity.

Meanwhile, wildfires are ripping through California, destroying the land and sending thousands from their homes.

Stanford NCAA champion Brooke Forde posted a photo of what the sky on campus looks like because of the fires. She accompanied it with a call to action for everyone, saying that everything that has happened in 2020 was created by people, not a curse of 2020.

Here is her post:

Rant warning because I am not ok with having this view at afternoon practice…

2020 is not cursed! 2020 is not unlucky! 2020 is climate change. 2020 is the result of our actions! And climate change doesn’t end in 2020. Every calamitous event this year, including COVID-19, has been caused or exacerbated by global climate change (DM me if you want the research behind any of it). Waiting for these situations to disappear at the turn of the calendar will not work! There will be many more years that look like 2020 if we don’t change our course.

If floods, heat waves, or storms have made your life less comfortable, weigh that against the “discomfort” of making a small change to your consumption habits.

If your plans have been put on hold due to COVID, weigh that against the small amount of time it takes to walk or bike instead of driving somewhere.

If you’ve been disturbed by racial injustice and protests, weigh that against the hassle of buying from companies that don’t disproportionately pollute communities of color.

If you’re uncomfortable breathing in the smoke from a wildfire, weigh that against the discomfort of taking a slightly shorter shower each day.

If you have spent extra money protecting yourself from a storm, fire, or virus, compare that amount to a small investment in local products, cleaner energy, or sustainable brands.

If you feel suffocated by your mask, vote for politicians who will stop suffocating chemicals from being pumped into our air.

The world is giving us overt warning signs right now- please don’t ignore them! If you have complained about “2020” but have not changed your habits, what kind of 2021 are you preparing for? It doesn’t have to be big, but DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. And vote.

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Rant warning because I am not ok with having this view at afternoon practice… 2020 is not cursed! 2020 is not unlucky! 2020 is climate change. 2020 is the result of our actions! And climate change doesn’t end in 2020. Every calamitous event this year, including COVID-19, has been caused or exacerbated by global climate change (DM me if you want the research behind any of it). Waiting for these situations to disappear at the turn of the calendar will not work! There will be many more years that look like 2020 if we don’t change our course. If floods, heat waves, or storms have made your life less comfortable, weigh that against the “discomfort” of making a small change to your consumption habits. If your plans have been put on hold due to COVID, weigh that against the small amount of time it takes to walk or bike instead of driving somewhere. If you’ve been disturbed by racial injustice and protests, weigh that against the hassle of buying from companies that don’t disproportionately pollute communities of color. If you’re uncomfortable breathing in the smoke from a wildfire, weigh that against the discomfort of taking a slightly shorter shower each day. If you have spent extra money protecting yourself from a storm, fire, or virus, compare that amount to a small investment in local products, cleaner energy, or sustainable brands. If you feel suffocated by your mask, vote for politicians who will stop suffocating chemicals from being pumped into our air. The world is giving us overt warning signs right now- please don’t ignore them! If you have complained about “2020” but have not changed your habits, what kind of 2021 are you preparing for? It doesn’t have to be big, but DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. And vote.

A post shared by Brooke Forde (@brooke4d) on Sep 10, 2020 at 8:14am PDT

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Doug Schack

4 years ago

Says someone who travels from state to state and country to county to…..swim. Yes. It’s our actions.

James Ash

4 years ago

Reply to Doug Schack

Doug Schack delete your account

Nick Voikos

4 years ago

Reply to Doug Schack

James Ash you first

Cliff Murray

4 years ago

Stick with commenting and reporting on competitive swimming. I don’t read swimming world to get socio-political, or environmental opinions. I read it for news and information on our sport.

Jennifer Harris Tolkachev

4 years ago

Reply to Cliff Murray

Cliff Murray well the daily smoke and raining ash are causing practices to be cancelled so it’s of interest to this swim mom!

Carlene Takaki

4 years ago

Thank you Brooke and Swimming World for publishing this! Climate change is a big deal and there isn’t a future for our sport if this continues.

Lisa Cary Zubar

4 years ago

Great post. hank you Ms. Forde.

Hanna Starkweather

4 years ago

The fires in California are from the ACTIONS OF The Sierra Club and The US Forestry Dept. They stopped logging, they did not clean up trees from bark beetles, they did not clean up underbrush, make fire paths and breaks, or manage the land. Now all the animals are dead they said they were protecting and the forest is destroyed ravaged by a fire that could have been stopped. As for Americans we could do much better to clean up our footprint, our actions, become more knowledgeable and find peace by listening and become then change. One person at a time doing their part helps.