What a year 2020 has been! Through it all, most of us have innovated, adapted, and remain hopeful that when we return to “normal” we will not forget the important lessons from this time of isolation. One of the most important is that hugs matter!

Inspired by love for our grandchildren and alarmed by the threat of climate change, STAY COOL for Grandkids was established as a nonprofit organization of elders who seek to mend our generation’s legacy and protect our grandkids’ climate future. As the year draws to a close, STAY COOL wants to thank you for hanging in there with us, for joining our webinars and education programs, for reading our newsletters, and for reviewing the blog posts on our updated website.

While the coronavirus is a daily news story, nature struck relentlessly in 2020 with record-breaking and deadly climate-related disasters. The insurance industry losses from natural catastrophes across the globe amounted to US$76 billion, up 40% from 2019. We had devastating bushfires in Australia that wiped out an estimated 44,500,000 acres, killer floods in Asia and Africa, and Cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal that was the most destructive tropical cyclone that India and Bangladesh have ever experienced.

In the United States, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season had the most named storms: 30 on record. Phoenix set a record with 144 days with temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. With a devastating 20-year megadrought and near-record heat, California had at least 4 million acres (6,528 square miles) burned by wildfire, doubling the previous record. Five of the six largest wildfires in California history have been in 2020. Oregon and Colorado had immense fire damage, too. Colorado’s Cameron Peak Fire surged to become the largest in state history, surpassing the record set less than two months prior by the Pine Gulch Fire. The new record holder burned more than 208,000 acres.

Our changing climate is an ecological, financial, and social crisis. It feels overwhelming, but there is so much that can be done to slow the process and increase our resilience. Our hope is that the more you know, the more you will be motivated to stay engaged. These are the webinar topics we covered this year:

We are planning another great series of webinars for 2021, including “Our Sustainable Energy Future” and a program discussing the Rewild San Diego Bay project. (More will be posted soon!)

At STAY COOL, advocating for strong, measurable, and meaningful climate action is what we are all about. Learn with us and volunteer with us. Be engaged. There is much to be done and we need your help!

Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2021 from the Advisory Team Members at STAY COOL!

Are you interested in donating to STAY COOL to support our work in 2021? Click here to make a contribution online.

Written by Linda Giannelli Pratt