What do you need to do your best climate work, and how can we create more of it?
Welcome to our first-ever discussion thread for We Can Fix It subscribers! I’ll be live on Substack in text conversation with the We Can Fix It community starting now, for the next 2 hours— join in by clicking the button below!
Thank you so much everyone for joining today!! I loved the chance to hear from you from all over the world and learn more from you. I'll have to sign off for now, but feel free to keep up the conversation here-- and we'll definitely have another thread soon! Feel free to suggest any topics you'd like to see in the future. Take care!
Love your book Under the Sky We Make!! Could you recommend more reading (climate-specific or even more general, books, essays, anything!) that gives you courage and ideas for climate action?
Thank you Lucy!! I should compile the book recommendations I make every month at the end of We Can Fix It so I have them in one place! :) Not exactly climate-related but I just read "Four Thousand Hours: Time Management for Mortals" which I *highly* recommend, especially I loved the epilogue. The book is about making hard choices and enjoying what you are able to do. Really thought-provoking! And look out for a book I just got to blurb called "Return to Nature" coming spring 2022, it's wonderful.
There's not too much Zen or Buddhism in it, but lots of kind words and encouragement...like put a focus on yourself AND your community, environment, etc.
That sounds great, David-- thank you! I've added it to my "want to read" list on Goodreads. SO happy to hear you are getting lovely rain in NorCal-- my family there is grateful for green grass and lessened fire fears.
Thanks for the tip David, I love the sound of that! (Though I remember struggling with Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance when I read it in high school-- I think I wasn't ready for that one yet!) :)
Thanks Kimberely, although I need to leaver my computer soon. I would need politicians from ALL parties in parliament to agree on an action plan to fix it. Why so difficult?
Oooh that's a good one!! I'm encouraged by recent assessments of climate policies before national elections in Germany, Iceland, Canada and others. Hoping to work on something similar for Sweden! What's been your experience with responses from your politicians on climate?
The Green party has made a so called climate action plan which however is mostly a list of possible measures to take, and actually lacking an estimate of whether and how the Paris goals will be met, or not. The other parties have far less than that, see:
Oh wow, an ASG assessing the political parties' climate policies is SUCH a good idea! It's something I'd love to do, and have held a kickoff meeting with for Researchers' Desk, but am realizing it takes substantial time and resources. How hard is it to put together an application?? :)
No idea... but I looked at last year's granted projects and they did not appear so superimpressive to me. Do you have a Researcher' desk ready to go? Maybe I could find 8 names of local politicians for a start (although I mean it would be needed on national level). But as a case study...?
There is definitely tons of interest in this. Over 20 researchers were interested from RD, and about 14 came to the kickoff meeting. Only a couple are at LU though, and I think ASGs are all LU. I've also talked to several journalists and someone from a think tank who are interested in assessing the Swedish parties' climate policies on a national level. We do have the klimatpolitiskarådet both nationally and in Sweden (showing existing policies are insufficient) but nothing that is set up to show if and by how much proposed policies fall short...
I liked what you called 'The regeneration mindset' to recognize that we have duties and ties of care with fellow humans and the living world. Having conversations about it on the every day, that our choices matter -political, consumption, production, leisure-
Thank you for sharing great ideas! My latest climate conversation was complaining about COP26, and feeling overwhelmed with speeches and speeches and speeches of the same. Just now realized I have been complaining a lot this week, oops 😅
Haha, I understand the feeling. Are you at the COP, or following from afar? It's definitely easy to get overwhelmed with all the input and intense media focus -- we need to spread out that attention over the rest of the year! :)
Following from afar, I am looking closer to what the government of my country (Colombia) is saying/promising there -being a petroleum dependant economy and representing over 45% of the country's exports- I would like to later audit via social media every action they are proposing in COP26...
Thank you for keeping an eye on your government and helping to hold them to account! I would love to follow your work on social media if you don't mind sharing a link to the account where you'll post them? I have several close friends from Colombia who I know would be interested too. :)
I would like to see real climate change information presented in public schools. District curriculum are political documents that at best green-washed completely. Because of that I created my own for 10 years.
I don't have a link. I actually retired from teaching last year but have saved my lessons and could send a syllabus of sorts. I started a club at my school called LYFE (live your future earth). A colleague took over for me and I'm joining their first meeting via zoom today! Being part of that is what I miss about retirement. My colleague read and loved your book on my recommendation. She's sending weekly emails to the staff to encourage more teachers to be part of LYFE.
Thank you for your years of teaching, Guy! It's wonderful that your club is continuing on, and that you can join by zoom. I'd be curious to see your syllabus, it's always helpful to see good examples! And thank you for recommending Under the Sky We Make to your colleague! :)
Thanks for sharing! I'm excited to dive into this as part of a project on municipal climate assemblies I'm working on-- though it seems this was not undertaken as part of a climate assembly. Great to see local councils and cities taking action!
Thanks so much for all you have done. Your book has been critical to helping me start changing my behaviors in significant ways and I've been touting it to everybody who will listen. Three quick (and entirely dissimilar) questions, if you have time. First, (actually this one maybe isn't quick) our moderately left-wing local municipality, Ferndale, Michigan, is working on its sustainability plan for the next 2 decades. From your work in Lund can you recommend any resources that would help us come up with basic principles/baselines for evaluation that we could introduce for helping to figure out what is the most far reaching set of changes that our city electorate will bear. Second, what piece(s) would you recommend that I could forward somebody if I want to give them short taste of your overall thinking in Under the Sky We Make so that they'll consider reading your book. Third, finally, wondering if you've read Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry for the Future and if so, what you thought. Thanks!
I LOVE the question "what is the most far-reaching set of changes that our city electorate will bear". Kevin Anderson has some principles for (local/national) governments in line with science for 1.5°C. Reading "Too Hot To Handle" by Rebecca Willis is a great quick overview to building democratic legitimacy. I'm working on an analysis of city-level climate assemblies right now; many seem unfortunately timid but the best one I've seen so far is from Brighton & Hove https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/brighton-hove-climate-assembly
One key principle is to figure out what the main source of emissions in your town is, and make sure you focus your time on that. A lot of climate assemblies seem to spend 25% of their time and recommendations on sorting waste, when it's 2% of their emissions. All emissions need to go to zero, but the effort there seems misspent to me. In the US transport is usually the biggest source of emissions where cities can have a big impact (through planning, regulation of free parking, bike paths, public transport etc.)
Hi Kevin, thank you so much for your kind words, I'm so glad to hear you're finding my work helpful in the important work you're doing!! I'll take the easy question first-- I was totally engrossed by Ministry for the Future and found it weirdly hopeful in that very KSR way (like New York 2140 can be hopeful even if it's after a worst-case scenario...) What did you think??
I somehow discovered Robinson just after his second novel (The Lost Shore) and it was love at first read so he's always had a special place in my heart (and once even did a web-chat much like this one for my Political Science Fiction course. Ministry for the Future felt like a bit of a long shaggy dog story but the scope and apparent meandering had a purpose. It felt like his attempt to say, "I know this is not going to be easy, but here's the best possible outcome I can imagine given the complicated world in which we live." The depressing part is that his attempt at a realistic best case scenario seems so far from reality that we're headed to something much worse. But without people like him (and you) writing about the maybe-just-barely possible it would be so much harder to figure out what actually to /do/.
Ha, the shaggy dog comment is fair. I read an interview with Kim Stanley Robinson (in the wonderful Wonderbook by Jeff Vander Meer) where KSR basically says he just wants to write wonky explainers about monetary policy and climate, that he cloaks in fiction so people will read them. It explained a lot! :) I agree that it was tough to read in parts. But truly honored to be put in his company in holding some space for the maybe-just-barely-possible. Thank you!!
Hi Kimberly, I wonder if you have considered translating your book to other languages? I would love to share the book with my family and friends in Cyprus, but language is a barrier. I understand that greek would not be the most popular option in case you are considering translating the book and I have no clue what kind of resources are needed in translating a book into other languages, but I'm asking anyway :)
Hi Georgia, I'm honored you want to share Under the Sky We Make with your family-- thank you!! I would absolutely love to have the book translated to spread the word further... but that is up to a publisher in an international market wanting to buy it, which in turn depends on selling lots of copies of the existing book in English. I can share that my book just went into a second printing, which I'm thrilled about. But I think English sales will have to grow more before I'll get international publishers interested. So the best way you can help pave the way for future translations is to share the book with people who would enjoy the current English edition. Sorry it's not a better answer for now!
Hi Kimberly! I read your book earlier this fall. As you write, we need both systemic and personal changes. But being an academic as you, I find that many in academia still see the climate crisis as a long term issue, not something we have to deal with once. At present, I am trying to get a more active view on climate into our vision at Chalmers
Hi Bo, thanks for being here, and for reading! Ugh, the lack of urgency in academia... it's a huge frustration. Do you have a good student group at Chalmers? The energy of the students have been critical at Lund to push things forward. And are you involved with the Climate Framework for Higher Education? I know it's partly based at Chalmers, I feel it's a very under-used tool, it has a lot of the smart first steps already spelled out but no one seems to know about it!!
Thank you David for sharing your book club, sounds like a wonderful initiative! And feel free to reach out if you'd like me to join for Q&A when you discuss Under the Sky We Make! :)
I'm looking for fewer excuses -- both from others and myself. I see a lot of desire to do something different and climate friendly (I've been working in this space in various capacities for 20 years), but *still* get pushback both on action and who's at the table. Some of it's understandable, especially given the systems set up to help ensure our fossil-dependent lives persist, but some of it seems to come from exceptionalism (*I'm* not really the problem) and prioritization of the status quo.
YES to fewer excuses!! I love the cartoons for "discourses of climate delay"-- it would be great to have examples of how to answer/counter each one effectively. I totally hear you on the frustrations of exceptionalism. On the flip side, those who lead by example are extremely powerful!
I am also in the US and also struggle with hope. Exploitation of resources and people is written into our systems, and disentangling the fossil fuel industry from our laws and our lives seems impossible. I agree that education and also transparency are needed. Our leaders either don't have plans for moving forward or aren't sharing them, or maybe we as people don't know where in the system to look for the information we need. Trying to find out whether our state pension invests in fossil fuels or what land sales to fossil fuel industries are happening or what laws support exploitation of my neighbors is a massive undertaking for the average time-pressed individual. I'm hoping to try to understand by reading, getting involved in small things, and especially finding local organizations I can support. Since reading Under the Sky we Make, I've found books We Rise, Saving Us, and books by Tallamy to be particularly inspiring.
Hi Sarah, I'm sorry to hear you're struggling. I totally agree there is a lot of work to do-- definitely too much for any individual to do alone! It's disheartening that it's so complicated, as you point out. I'm constantly working on the balance between learning about the whole system, and focusing my energy where I can make the most difference (and enjoy contributing). Local orgs are a great place to connect. And thanks for the book recommendations-- I haven't read We Rise or Tallamy, will add them to the list!
Hi Kim! I recommended your book to a student today who said “he felt hopeless”. I really appreciated it. I would like to know more about emotions. How do you work with and through emotions, in your daily life, when teaching, or in co-construction?
Hi Kim! I loved your book and I enjoy the newsletter a lot!. Do you recommend any other sources of good climate advice in Spanish? I love your content, but I can't share it with my family unless I personally translate it. Any good references? Gracias!!!
Take time to imagine more. How to join my ongoing work with climate work. More possibility thinking, imagining. How to create more of it? Write every day. Delve into it with my journal. Trust that something good, meaningful will come from it. Creative. And join with others in my local community. I don't need to recreate the wheel. Just pick up where I left off and go with it.
I think that I have been doing work toward a stable climate all my life. I just haven't seen myself that way. This year, particularly, I found myself wondering how this celebration coaching has any place at all, in the world I find around me. A feeling of not belonging in it anymore. But I am realizing that people need to lift up and celebrate their lives, build connection and community more then ever. And that even though I feel angry about the place we are now. That this isn't the world I thought it was or would be as I approach the end of my lifetime. There is a kind of perfection about being here, now. A belonging. I need to write a whole lot more. And coach living a celebrated life, in new, yet unimagined ways.
Here in northern Sweden, where the major transition is to be made, knowledge, support and strength are needed to handle the challenges that follow from the major transition to a climate-neutral industry. The regional environmental movement does not have enough non-profit forces and resources to investigate the issues so that they can be an important voice in the transition. Who makes sure that the right priorities for how the energy is to be used are made? In parallel with these energy-consuming establishments for climate-natural industry, we must work with strategies for how we can reduce other energy needs and natural resource utilization. How do we get the power to protect the local environment?
Hi Nina Pettersson! It sounds like we should talk. We have just applied for funding to set up a collaboration around sustainability transitions and education in the Swedish North. We want to bring together various actors and organisations. We are partnering with “Akademie Nord” and various municipalities to create meaningful initiatives in which people learn and contribute to sustainability. If that sounds interesting, you could send me an email: akpeters at kth.se (not sure if it is safe to write my email address here so I wrote it slightly different…)
I am dismayed that I can't get the word out about my simple idea that will help us now & teach us going forward. To make a tangible cut in aircraft use. Reduce air travel across the board (except for emergencies) from 7 days a week (constantly) to six days a week. Cuts like this have to be made, and this one will be significant and teach us what to do next. Electric vehicles & solar panels, etc, are not enough. Carbon Capture is not enough, and the oil companies are waiting in the wings to capitalize on it!
Just bought your book and I'm very much looking forward to reading it. Aside from the obvious things like planting trees and picking up garbage, what can service groups (eg. Rotary Clubs, Boy Scouts, etc...) do to help tackle climate change? A list of projects or ideas that community groups can undertake would be great.
Welcome Mike, I love the idea of projects for community groups! A few ideas that jump to mind are community-based renewable energy, local food growing/sharing/planting, and lending libraries (e.g., for sports equipment). These are all locally-based and build community. Have you see the Transition Towns movement? They have lots of great ideas!
Thanks Jonathan, I agree a guide like this would be great! There are TONS of resources out there, but you have to know where to look. This is basically what I try to do in Under the Sky We Make. :)
If I had only a few minutes (think elevator pitch) to motivate a person to get off their butt and take climate action, what are things to share that you've seen resonate most with people? Am I willing to scare them with the harsh realities of what the future holds? Absolutely!
Haha love this question! The secret is to find what *they* already care about, and link it to solutions that are good for people and the climate. There is no one perfect thing to say or do that will automatically flip everyone into all-hands-on-deck mode. People aren't robots! But everyone has something they care about (wine, kids, a family vacation spot, social justice, health, ...) and that can be linked with climate. I'm working on a conversation guide for talking about climate-- anyone in particular (or kinds of conversations) you're thinking of??
I'm inspired by the action of others in my Oregon community in my cohort (early 40s parents) but other 40s parents I know in different parts of the U.S. don't prioritize climate action.
Eating less meat, do not fly, recycle your garbage etc. are all good things to do but to really achieve a better world I think we need to big investments in solar panels, windmills, isolating houses, energy-efficient machinery etc.
I recently had a talk with the manager of a big pension fund and he claimed that the current situation (high energy prices and some factories shut down because their energy costs are too high to make a profit) is an opportunity to invest significantly in energy-saving techniques in those closed factories.
What are your tips when travel by fly cannot be avoided? FYI- My work is international and my family lives on another continent. I already have passed all that I can to 'online mode' but still there is a lot of flying left.
This is such a tough one Ayda! I'm a former frequent flyer myself. In 2010, I took 15 roundtrip flights (ACK!!). I had my lightbulb moment over a beer with my friend Charlie, who stopped flying within Europe and inspired me to do the same. Over many years I've stopped flying for work (intentionally choosing projects that don't require flying), but I do still fly back to North America to see family. I just gave a talk about flying less for work- there are a lot of studies now and good guides for what works. Here's one: https://www.wri.org/research/business-air-travel-and-climate-changing-behaviors-during-and-beyond-covid-19-pandemic
Flying less for work reasons often requires the cooperation of your employer so what is your employer's policy on this?
One thing that I found out in my personal experience is that it is often better to hold one big and long meeting (where everybody is present and stays in a local hotel during meeting days) than to hold a series of meetings every few weeks with everybody flying in every time.
Another possibility is that metaverse idea that several companies are now working on. Hopefully it will make it possible to put a lot of the people together in a virtual room while no real travelling is required.
Good idea with fewer meetings/conferences/field trips for longer to cut flights! At my department we've been on a long journey towards flying less- thanks to an initiative led by a few colleagues that I've also supported. We are both working internally for a culture of low-carbon, and pushing our university, funders, and other partners to support flying less. Some resources here: https://www.kimnicholas.com/academics-flying-less.html
I feel that the problems related to climate resiliency are too immense to be tackled. We just faced (we are still in) a global pandemic and humanity did a poor job of looking out for one another. I'm not sure people can come together to make meaningful changes to address climate change. How can I feel hope? (FYI I'm in the United States.)
Hi KJ, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling overwhelmed. I get it-- climate + pandemic + ...everything... is a lot. From where I sit (on the receiving end of so much climate grief + anxiety + action + inspiration), I can see that there are people all over the world working as hard as they can, helping each other out and taking care. I wonder if a few of these resources might help you right now? Let me know!
Thank you so much everyone for joining today!! I loved the chance to hear from you from all over the world and learn more from you. I'll have to sign off for now, but feel free to keep up the conversation here-- and we'll definitely have another thread soon! Feel free to suggest any topics you'd like to see in the future. Take care!
Love your book Under the Sky We Make!! Could you recommend more reading (climate-specific or even more general, books, essays, anything!) that gives you courage and ideas for climate action?
Thank you Lucy!! I should compile the book recommendations I make every month at the end of We Can Fix It so I have them in one place! :) Not exactly climate-related but I just read "Four Thousand Hours: Time Management for Mortals" which I *highly* recommend, especially I loved the epilogue. The book is about making hard choices and enjoying what you are able to do. Really thought-provoking! And look out for a book I just got to blurb called "Return to Nature" coming spring 2022, it's wonderful.
There's not too much Zen or Buddhism in it, but lots of kind words and encouragement...like put a focus on yourself AND your community, environment, etc.
ps - lovely rain here last night in nor cal
That sounds great, David-- thank you! I've added it to my "want to read" list on Goodreads. SO happy to hear you are getting lovely rain in NorCal-- my family there is grateful for green grass and lessened fire fears.
just finished Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hahn (and one of his followers)
Thanks for the tip David, I love the sound of that! (Though I remember struggling with Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance when I read it in high school-- I think I wasn't ready for that one yet!) :)
Thanks Kimberely, although I need to leaver my computer soon. I would need politicians from ALL parties in parliament to agree on an action plan to fix it. Why so difficult?
Oooh that's a good one!! I'm encouraged by recent assessments of climate policies before national elections in Germany, Iceland, Canada and others. Hoping to work on something similar for Sweden! What's been your experience with responses from your politicians on climate?
The Green party has made a so called climate action plan which however is mostly a list of possible measures to take, and actually lacking an estimate of whether and how the Paris goals will be met, or not. The other parties have far less than that, see:
https://www.dn.se/vetenskap/luddiga-planer-for-hur-sverige-ska-klara-klimatmalen/
Someone should sit down with ALL parties and make them put together a plan. Is that you Kimberly?
Maybe at Lund University we could have done this but deadline is tomorrow....
https://www.pi.lu.se/utlysning-advanced-study-groups
Oh wow, an ASG assessing the political parties' climate policies is SUCH a good idea! It's something I'd love to do, and have held a kickoff meeting with for Researchers' Desk, but am realizing it takes substantial time and resources. How hard is it to put together an application?? :)
No idea... but I looked at last year's granted projects and they did not appear so superimpressive to me. Do you have a Researcher' desk ready to go? Maybe I could find 8 names of local politicians for a start (although I mean it would be needed on national level). But as a case study...?
There is definitely tons of interest in this. Over 20 researchers were interested from RD, and about 14 came to the kickoff meeting. Only a couple are at LU though, and I think ASGs are all LU. I've also talked to several journalists and someone from a think tank who are interested in assessing the Swedish parties' climate policies on a national level. We do have the klimatpolitiskarådet both nationally and in Sweden (showing existing policies are insufficient) but nothing that is set up to show if and by how much proposed policies fall short...
Which political party will openly propose a reduction in material living standards?
That is exactly my point. No party. But ALL parties could jointly!
I liked what you called 'The regeneration mindset' to recognize that we have duties and ties of care with fellow humans and the living world. Having conversations about it on the every day, that our choices matter -political, consumption, production, leisure-
Thanks so much Ayda, I'm so glad you find the regeneration mindset helpful!! What was your latest climate conversation like?
Thank you for sharing great ideas! My latest climate conversation was complaining about COP26, and feeling overwhelmed with speeches and speeches and speeches of the same. Just now realized I have been complaining a lot this week, oops 😅
Haha, I understand the feeling. Are you at the COP, or following from afar? It's definitely easy to get overwhelmed with all the input and intense media focus -- we need to spread out that attention over the rest of the year! :)
Following from afar, I am looking closer to what the government of my country (Colombia) is saying/promising there -being a petroleum dependant economy and representing over 45% of the country's exports- I would like to later audit via social media every action they are proposing in COP26...
Thank you for keeping an eye on your government and helping to hold them to account! I would love to follow your work on social media if you don't mind sharing a link to the account where you'll post them? I have several close friends from Colombia who I know would be interested too. :)
Thank you! the project is in beta version, will soon finish and publish it. I will definitely share it with the We can Fix it community :)
Hi everyone! Welcome and jump right in with replies here in the comments, or feel free to introduce yourself if you like!
I would like to see real climate change information presented in public schools. District curriculum are political documents that at best green-washed completely. Because of that I created my own for 10 years.
YES!! Climate education is SO important. Do you have a link to share your climate curriculum, Guy? I'd love to take a look!
I don't have a link. I actually retired from teaching last year but have saved my lessons and could send a syllabus of sorts. I started a club at my school called LYFE (live your future earth). A colleague took over for me and I'm joining their first meeting via zoom today! Being part of that is what I miss about retirement. My colleague read and loved your book on my recommendation. She's sending weekly emails to the staff to encourage more teachers to be part of LYFE.
Thank you for your years of teaching, Guy! It's wonderful that your club is continuing on, and that you can join by zoom. I'd be curious to see your syllabus, it's always helpful to see good examples! And thank you for recommending Under the Sky We Make to your colleague! :)
What do you think about the Carbon Literacy Project https://carbonliteracy.com/ ?
Oooh I haven't come across it before Jonathan- I'll check it out, thanks!
I like this presentation from a nearby council . What can we learn from it?https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/localplan2020/wakefield-climate-change-action-plan-ccap.pdf
Thanks for sharing! I'm excited to dive into this as part of a project on municipal climate assemblies I'm working on-- though it seems this was not undertaken as part of a climate assembly. Great to see local councils and cities taking action!
Agree!
Thanks so much for all you have done. Your book has been critical to helping me start changing my behaviors in significant ways and I've been touting it to everybody who will listen. Three quick (and entirely dissimilar) questions, if you have time. First, (actually this one maybe isn't quick) our moderately left-wing local municipality, Ferndale, Michigan, is working on its sustainability plan for the next 2 decades. From your work in Lund can you recommend any resources that would help us come up with basic principles/baselines for evaluation that we could introduce for helping to figure out what is the most far reaching set of changes that our city electorate will bear. Second, what piece(s) would you recommend that I could forward somebody if I want to give them short taste of your overall thinking in Under the Sky We Make so that they'll consider reading your book. Third, finally, wondering if you've read Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry for the Future and if so, what you thought. Thanks!
I LOVE the question "what is the most far-reaching set of changes that our city electorate will bear". Kevin Anderson has some principles for (local/national) governments in line with science for 1.5°C. Reading "Too Hot To Handle" by Rebecca Willis is a great quick overview to building democratic legitimacy. I'm working on an analysis of city-level climate assemblies right now; many seem unfortunately timid but the best one I've seen so far is from Brighton & Hove https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/brighton-hove-climate-assembly
One key principle is to figure out what the main source of emissions in your town is, and make sure you focus your time on that. A lot of climate assemblies seem to spend 25% of their time and recommendations on sorting waste, when it's 2% of their emissions. All emissions need to go to zero, but the effort there seems misspent to me. In the US transport is usually the biggest source of emissions where cities can have a big impact (through planning, regulation of free parking, bike paths, public transport etc.)
Thanks. It was following Kevin Anderson on Twitter that led me to your work!
Oh small world!! I think Kevin Anderson is the Kevin Bacon of climate. :)
And thanks so much for wanting to share Under the Sky We Make, I really appreciate it! I have some excerpts and the start of the audiobook on my website here: https://www.kimnicholas.com/under-the-sky-we-make.html
I'm happy to join book clubs for discussion if that might be of interest.
And please feel free to send them We Can Fix It! :)
Thank you!
Hi Kevin, thank you so much for your kind words, I'm so glad to hear you're finding my work helpful in the important work you're doing!! I'll take the easy question first-- I was totally engrossed by Ministry for the Future and found it weirdly hopeful in that very KSR way (like New York 2140 can be hopeful even if it's after a worst-case scenario...) What did you think??
I somehow discovered Robinson just after his second novel (The Lost Shore) and it was love at first read so he's always had a special place in my heart (and once even did a web-chat much like this one for my Political Science Fiction course. Ministry for the Future felt like a bit of a long shaggy dog story but the scope and apparent meandering had a purpose. It felt like his attempt to say, "I know this is not going to be easy, but here's the best possible outcome I can imagine given the complicated world in which we live." The depressing part is that his attempt at a realistic best case scenario seems so far from reality that we're headed to something much worse. But without people like him (and you) writing about the maybe-just-barely possible it would be so much harder to figure out what actually to /do/.
Ha, the shaggy dog comment is fair. I read an interview with Kim Stanley Robinson (in the wonderful Wonderbook by Jeff Vander Meer) where KSR basically says he just wants to write wonky explainers about monetary policy and climate, that he cloaks in fiction so people will read them. It explained a lot! :) I agree that it was tough to read in parts. But truly honored to be put in his company in holding some space for the maybe-just-barely-possible. Thank you!!
Hi Kimberly, I wonder if you have considered translating your book to other languages? I would love to share the book with my family and friends in Cyprus, but language is a barrier. I understand that greek would not be the most popular option in case you are considering translating the book and I have no clue what kind of resources are needed in translating a book into other languages, but I'm asking anyway :)
Hi Georgia, I'm honored you want to share Under the Sky We Make with your family-- thank you!! I would absolutely love to have the book translated to spread the word further... but that is up to a publisher in an international market wanting to buy it, which in turn depends on selling lots of copies of the existing book in English. I can share that my book just went into a second printing, which I'm thrilled about. But I think English sales will have to grow more before I'll get international publishers interested. So the best way you can help pave the way for future translations is to share the book with people who would enjoy the current English edition. Sorry it's not a better answer for now!
Hi Kimberly! I read your book earlier this fall. As you write, we need both systemic and personal changes. But being an academic as you, I find that many in academia still see the climate crisis as a long term issue, not something we have to deal with once. At present, I am trying to get a more active view on climate into our vision at Chalmers
Hi Bo, thanks for being here, and for reading! Ugh, the lack of urgency in academia... it's a huge frustration. Do you have a good student group at Chalmers? The energy of the students have been critical at Lund to push things forward. And are you involved with the Climate Framework for Higher Education? I know it's partly based at Chalmers, I feel it's a very under-used tool, it has a lot of the smart first steps already spelled out but no one seems to know about it!!
I work at our innovation office so I don't meet students a lot. I have been involved a bit in the Climate Framework but our environmental coordinator got sacked in a recent economic overhaul so no one is pushing it at the moment. But I have been involved in writing the regional development strategy for west Sweden where transformation is given a greater role than before https://alfresco-offentlig.vgregion.se/alfresco/service/vgr/storage/node/content/workspace/SpacesStore/a77c514b-e23e-48a1-8f53-9566c9245517?a=false&guest=true
Hi Bo, I'm a PhD student at Chalmers and very interested in Chalmers' climate vision. Happy to discuss more over a coffee!
Feel free to contact me at bo.norrman@chalmers.se :)
I love this connection made here, @Bo and Georgia I hope you have a lovely discussion over coffee!
Our climate change book club (on Zoom) is open for new members. We meet on the 3rd Thursday from 10:30 - noon California Pacific time.
Under the Sky We Make is on the list for 2022.
Send email to Nancy at nft@truher.net for more info. This month is Joy Reeves’ Growing up in the Grassroots - 11/18/20.
Thank you David for sharing your book club, sounds like a wonderful initiative! And feel free to reach out if you'd like me to join for Q&A when you discuss Under the Sky We Make! :)
Thanks so much Kim. I'm sure the group would love that, but let me check with them and I'll get back to you. Tak!
11/18/21
I'm looking for fewer excuses -- both from others and myself. I see a lot of desire to do something different and climate friendly (I've been working in this space in various capacities for 20 years), but *still* get pushback both on action and who's at the table. Some of it's understandable, especially given the systems set up to help ensure our fossil-dependent lives persist, but some of it seems to come from exceptionalism (*I'm* not really the problem) and prioritization of the status quo.
YES to fewer excuses!! I love the cartoons for "discourses of climate delay"-- it would be great to have examples of how to answer/counter each one effectively. I totally hear you on the frustrations of exceptionalism. On the flip side, those who lead by example are extremely powerful!
Also, bought your book from my local bookstore and can't wait for it arrive and read it!
Thanks so much for reading Emma, I hope you enjoy!!
I am also in the US and also struggle with hope. Exploitation of resources and people is written into our systems, and disentangling the fossil fuel industry from our laws and our lives seems impossible. I agree that education and also transparency are needed. Our leaders either don't have plans for moving forward or aren't sharing them, or maybe we as people don't know where in the system to look for the information we need. Trying to find out whether our state pension invests in fossil fuels or what land sales to fossil fuel industries are happening or what laws support exploitation of my neighbors is a massive undertaking for the average time-pressed individual. I'm hoping to try to understand by reading, getting involved in small things, and especially finding local organizations I can support. Since reading Under the Sky we Make, I've found books We Rise, Saving Us, and books by Tallamy to be particularly inspiring.
Hi Sarah, I'm sorry to hear you're struggling. I totally agree there is a lot of work to do-- definitely too much for any individual to do alone! It's disheartening that it's so complicated, as you point out. I'm constantly working on the balance between learning about the whole system, and focusing my energy where I can make the most difference (and enjoy contributing). Local orgs are a great place to connect. And thanks for the book recommendations-- I haven't read We Rise or Tallamy, will add them to the list!
Hi Kim! I recommended your book to a student today who said “he felt hopeless”. I really appreciated it. I would like to know more about emotions. How do you work with and through emotions, in your daily life, when teaching, or in co-construction?
Hi Kim! I loved your book and I enjoy the newsletter a lot!. Do you recommend any other sources of good climate advice in Spanish? I love your content, but I can't share it with my family unless I personally translate it. Any good references? Gracias!!!
Take time to imagine more. How to join my ongoing work with climate work. More possibility thinking, imagining. How to create more of it? Write every day. Delve into it with my journal. Trust that something good, meaningful will come from it. Creative. And join with others in my local community. I don't need to recreate the wheel. Just pick up where I left off and go with it.
I think that I have been doing work toward a stable climate all my life. I just haven't seen myself that way. This year, particularly, I found myself wondering how this celebration coaching has any place at all, in the world I find around me. A feeling of not belonging in it anymore. But I am realizing that people need to lift up and celebrate their lives, build connection and community more then ever. And that even though I feel angry about the place we are now. That this isn't the world I thought it was or would be as I approach the end of my lifetime. There is a kind of perfection about being here, now. A belonging. I need to write a whole lot more. And coach living a celebrated life, in new, yet unimagined ways.
Here in northern Sweden, where the major transition is to be made, knowledge, support and strength are needed to handle the challenges that follow from the major transition to a climate-neutral industry. The regional environmental movement does not have enough non-profit forces and resources to investigate the issues so that they can be an important voice in the transition. Who makes sure that the right priorities for how the energy is to be used are made? In parallel with these energy-consuming establishments for climate-natural industry, we must work with strategies for how we can reduce other energy needs and natural resource utilization. How do we get the power to protect the local environment?
Hi Nina Pettersson! It sounds like we should talk. We have just applied for funding to set up a collaboration around sustainability transitions and education in the Swedish North. We want to bring together various actors and organisations. We are partnering with “Akademie Nord” and various municipalities to create meaningful initiatives in which people learn and contribute to sustainability. If that sounds interesting, you could send me an email: akpeters at kth.se (not sure if it is safe to write my email address here so I wrote it slightly different…)
I am dismayed that I can't get the word out about my simple idea that will help us now & teach us going forward. To make a tangible cut in aircraft use. Reduce air travel across the board (except for emergencies) from 7 days a week (constantly) to six days a week. Cuts like this have to be made, and this one will be significant and teach us what to do next. Electric vehicles & solar panels, etc, are not enough. Carbon Capture is not enough, and the oil companies are waiting in the wings to capitalize on it!
Becky what have you tried so far? How might this happen? Changing habits starts with baby steps. Smaller steps, when the big one are overwhelming.
Baby steps? This is something that is up to somebody to listen quickly, and it's a simple idea, yay or nay, baby steps do not apply
Just bought your book and I'm very much looking forward to reading it. Aside from the obvious things like planting trees and picking up garbage, what can service groups (eg. Rotary Clubs, Boy Scouts, etc...) do to help tackle climate change? A list of projects or ideas that community groups can undertake would be great.
Welcome Mike, I love the idea of projects for community groups! A few ideas that jump to mind are community-based renewable energy, local food growing/sharing/planting, and lending libraries (e.g., for sports equipment). These are all locally-based and build community. Have you see the Transition Towns movement? They have lots of great ideas!
I've not heard of Transition Towns - thanks for these suggestions!
What are the barriers that stop individuals and businesses taking action?
Many people want to do the right thing but don't know the first steps to take.
Where are the guides that give clear and complete instructions for what to do next.
Could they be broken down into areas like -
Transport
Food
Work
Heat and energy
Stuff
Thanks Jonathan, I agree a guide like this would be great! There are TONS of resources out there, but you have to know where to look. This is basically what I try to do in Under the Sky We Make. :)
Try looking at https://www.drawdown.org/
Awesome link, thanks. Very clear and comprehensive.
If I had only a few minutes (think elevator pitch) to motivate a person to get off their butt and take climate action, what are things to share that you've seen resonate most with people? Am I willing to scare them with the harsh realities of what the future holds? Absolutely!
Haha love this question! The secret is to find what *they* already care about, and link it to solutions that are good for people and the climate. There is no one perfect thing to say or do that will automatically flip everyone into all-hands-on-deck mode. People aren't robots! But everyone has something they care about (wine, kids, a family vacation spot, social justice, health, ...) and that can be linked with climate. I'm working on a conversation guide for talking about climate-- anyone in particular (or kinds of conversations) you're thinking of??
I'm inspired by the action of others in my Oregon community in my cohort (early 40s parents) but other 40s parents I know in different parts of the U.S. don't prioritize climate action.
Eating less meat, do not fly, recycle your garbage etc. are all good things to do but to really achieve a better world I think we need to big investments in solar panels, windmills, isolating houses, energy-efficient machinery etc.
I agree Bart! To stabilize the climate, high emitters will need to reduce our overconsumption, while transforming the whole society to be carbon-free.
I recently had a talk with the manager of a big pension fund and he claimed that the current situation (high energy prices and some factories shut down because their energy costs are too high to make a profit) is an opportunity to invest significantly in energy-saving techniques in those closed factories.
What are your tips when travel by fly cannot be avoided? FYI- My work is international and my family lives on another continent. I already have passed all that I can to 'online mode' but still there is a lot of flying left.
This is such a tough one Ayda! I'm a former frequent flyer myself. In 2010, I took 15 roundtrip flights (ACK!!). I had my lightbulb moment over a beer with my friend Charlie, who stopped flying within Europe and inspired me to do the same. Over many years I've stopped flying for work (intentionally choosing projects that don't require flying), but I do still fly back to North America to see family. I just gave a talk about flying less for work- there are a lot of studies now and good guides for what works. Here's one: https://www.wri.org/research/business-air-travel-and-climate-changing-behaviors-during-and-beyond-covid-19-pandemic
Flying less for work reasons often requires the cooperation of your employer so what is your employer's policy on this?
One thing that I found out in my personal experience is that it is often better to hold one big and long meeting (where everybody is present and stays in a local hotel during meeting days) than to hold a series of meetings every few weeks with everybody flying in every time.
Another possibility is that metaverse idea that several companies are now working on. Hopefully it will make it possible to put a lot of the people together in a virtual room while no real travelling is required.
Good idea with fewer meetings/conferences/field trips for longer to cut flights! At my department we've been on a long journey towards flying less- thanks to an initiative led by a few colleagues that I've also supported. We are both working internally for a culture of low-carbon, and pushing our university, funders, and other partners to support flying less. Some resources here: https://www.kimnicholas.com/academics-flying-less.html
I feel that the problems related to climate resiliency are too immense to be tackled. We just faced (we are still in) a global pandemic and humanity did a poor job of looking out for one another. I'm not sure people can come together to make meaningful changes to address climate change. How can I feel hope? (FYI I'm in the United States.)
Hi KJ, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling overwhelmed. I get it-- climate + pandemic + ...everything... is a lot. From where I sit (on the receiving end of so much climate grief + anxiety + action + inspiration), I can see that there are people all over the world working as hard as they can, helping each other out and taking care. I wonder if a few of these resources might help you right now? Let me know!
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jul/15/rebecca-solnit-hope-in-the-dark-new-essay-embrace-unknown
https://onbeing.org/blog/kate-marvel-we-need-courage-not-hope-to-face-climate-change/
https://theworld.org/stories/2021-03-25/author-kim-nicholas-five-stages-radical-climate-acceptance