And that, I think, is the essential problem. Climate change is too large to hold in your mind. If you actually thought about the impact we are collectively having on the planet and what it will mean even within our lifetime it would crush you and so you don't think about it all that much. That is certainly my instinct. It is so hard to care about something so big and so hard, especially in our disposable, consumer culture which constantly tells you not to care. But I really think no one has said it better than the Lorax:
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| The Lorax, Dr. Suess |
Last fall I was lucky enough to work on and attend the Midwest Youth Climate Convergence, in which youth from all over the Midwest came together to talk and learn and strategize. It was an incredibly reifying experience because there were hundreds of us who gave up our Halloween weekend to come together and learn about the climate fights we're all fighting - from high schoolers who volunteer for interfaith groups encouraging sustainability to folks who started their own companies to reforest parts of India or to help get neighborhoods switched over to renewable energy sources, to a group who started an organic farm co-op in southern Minnesota. We brainstormed about stopping oil pipelines and getting universities and cities to divest from fossil fuels and how to grow a green economy. I went to talks on how the current system is being maintained and why it is necessarily broken and also how to use the system to create companies to do good (taught by the same guy, who was awesome) and through all of it we focused on justice and compassion and love. Although the issues we were tackling were huge and terrifying, it was probably the most hopeful I have ever felt because we all cared so much and we were all acting and we were all together.
The climate movement is real. We're not alone. It's hard, being fairly nomadic and isolated at this time in my life, to feel that way but there is a great community of folks doing a huge diversity of things who all care passionately. And so despite the broken system and despite the warming planet and despite the doomsday news there is reason for hope.
But we need more folks, to do big things and small. And so I am once again challenging you to make some Earth Day Resolutions! Remember to make them achievable, something small you can keep in mind even when you can't hold the enormity of climate change. Here are mine for this year:
1. Bring reusable bags to the grocery store every time. This INCLUDES the reusable mesh bags for produce. I made this one last year and was not the best at following through. Just keep them in your car all the time and don't forget to bring them into the store!
2. Continue to improve my outreach skills, talk about issues, and volunteer to help with social media/media outreach. I like writing about things that I'm passionate about. I think I'm pretty good at it. I want to get better. It's hard to volunteer from afar and it's hard to try to plug in to new groups wherever I go, so it might even just be blogging here more and trying to get folks excited about the things I love about nature. To love a thing is to defend it.
3. Buy locally sourced (at least domestic, and as local as possible) produce. Learn to cook more things if the thing I want isn't in season (this will be considerably easier in Florida, I imagine).
4. Buy second-hand stuff as much as possible.
5. Recycle some old shirts I don't wear anymore and use them as rags and brush cleaners so I don't use as many paper towels.
Those are mine. I look forward to seeing yours. Remember: we're all in this together.
