“It Can Be Easy to Raise Awareness”
I attended the recent Parents and Climate Emergency Workshop led by Marya Axner, International Liberation Reference Person for Parents.
Here are some of my takeaways:
- Just start talking to people about the climate emergency—friends, family, “familiar strangers” (for example, shopkeepers).
- It’s not about convincing anyone.
- It’s about building connection.
- It is much more about listening than talking. We know how to do that.
- We have been made to feel small, ignorant, and powerless in regard to the climate emergency, but we aren’t. This is intentionally done to keep us from knowing our minds and acting.
- The basics of climate change are simple. We are producing CO2 that is getting trapped in our atmosphere. It acts like a blanket that is heating our planet and causes climate change.
- It only takes three percent of a population to make big change. Not half. Not a quarter. Not even ten percent. Just three percent. Big change is doable. It can happen now, and we can do it. Each of us can make it happen. When I feel small, I remember Greta Thunberg, a sixteen-year-old who decided to sit outside the Swedish Parliament with a sign. She created a worldwide movement.
I spoke on the phone yesterday with a friend whom I’ve known for five years. We’ve never spoken about the climate emergency. Yesterday I talked about it and made the points mentioned above. His response was, “Oh, I didn’t realize I could have an effect like that and that all we need is three percent of the population.” He seemed to feel empowered. Today he sent me a hopeful article on the topic. It can be easy to raise awareness!
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of parents
(Present Time 207, April 2022)
Last modified: 2022-12-25 10:17:04+00