Bali OK: A Parable for a Changing Climate

Bali OK is a love story woven around the theme of climate change. Bali OK is also a scientific mystery story, with a twist — and with a chaser of hope. In the year 2037, climate change has become an undeniable fact of life. Amazingly, one tiny piece of the planet has remained unchanged: the island of Bali. When social media discovers Bali’s thriving butterflies, a flood of the world’s more affluent immigrants seek out Bali’s throwback climate, pursuing the visa that people call the “Greener Card.” Two scientists independently become aware of this anomaly: Deborah, an American a butterfly scientist, and Wayan, a Balinese agricultural scientist. Their search for a scientific explanation soon brings in Deborah’s colleague, Stefan (who, as a transgender man, has always had to think outside boxes). Stefan sketches out for them a new theory he calls quantum ecology. Bali OK gives an anthropologist’s view of the age-old culture of Bali, enlivened by Deborah’s pen-and-ink sketches. Underlying the narrative is a recurring theme around the importance, and the challenges, of sharing knowledge. The reader will come away with a smile and with a new sense of the possibilities for navigating our next global challenge.