Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead

“Do you see the flames?”

The terse text from my neighbor put a quick end to what had been a relaxed Saturday evening. I dashed to the patio and — yep, I saw flames lighting the iconic mountains. It was shocking. Yes, I knew it was wildfire season. Yes, I knew there had been reports of a “human-caused” fire a few miles northeast of my home. Yes, I knew that Arizona’s missing summer “monsoon” rains had made 2020 the “nonsoon” season. Yes, I knew that the Grand Canyon State had been baking to a crisp in a stretch of scorching triple-digit temperatures. Still, there is nothing like seeing flames you think you can touch to bring home the reality of Western wildfire.

That June night marked the start of the “Bush Fire,” which burned for weeks and went into the books as one of Arizona’s biggest wildfires. I got an all-too-close view of two more in the weeks that followed, and there were many more devastating wildfires across Arizona and multiple Western states before the summer ended. Many friends and colleagues were directly affected by the wildfires, and still others later found themselves lashed by other forms of dangerous and destructive weather all over the country.   

Anyone who flies, whether as a pilot or a passenger, has a unique perspective on the environmental impacts — both good and bad — that we humans have on planet Earth. From the aerial vantage point, I’ve been privileged to view scenes of incredible beauty throughout the world and around the United States. Unfortunately, I have also seen evidence of environmental devastation and destruction. The massive “burn scar” from the June 2020 Bush Fire is all too visible from the air and seeing photos of charred Saguaro cactus is sobering. I suspect you probably have your own mental album with examples of both Earth’s natural beauty and the environmental blunders that threaten its survival.

      For an anti-pollution Earth Day poster in 1970, comic strip artist Walt Kelly adapted a famous phrase from a War of 1812 naval battle to become even more famous. Specifically, Kelly’s comic strip character Pogo changes the original line — “We have met the enemy and they are ours” — to “We have met the enemy and he is us.” As one commentator observed, Pogo’s remark deftly summarizes the human tendency to create our own problems — and that we have only ourselves to blame for many of the environmental crises we now face. 

The good news is that it is also within our power to reverse at least some of that damage. I was fascinated to see some of the “then-and-now” photos made during the past year. The “before” pictures showed landmarks obscured by smog-induced haze, while the “after” photos captured the same scene in crystal clear skies. While global shutdowns are obviously not sustainable, those photos still gave me hope that we humans really can change things for the better. I am also heartened by the fresh focus — some of which we have reviewed in this issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine — on ways that the transportation sector can contribute to climate solutions. In addition to the things we can do as a society, this issue has also looked at some of the steps we can take as individuals, and as individual aviators. We all have a role in protecting and preserving the incredible splendor of our world and, as scientist Margaret Mead famously said in the quote above, we should never doubt that even a small group of thoughtful and committed people can change the world. Let’s make it so.  (FAA Safety Briefing JulAug 2021)