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| Energy Glyph by Sandy Brown Jensen |
Know Two Things
1. Even at this late hour we still have a choice about our future, and therefore
every action we take from this moment forward counts.
2. We are capable of
making the right choices about our own destiny. If we act, we are not doomed to
a devastating future and humanity is not flawed and incapable of responding to
big problems. Our new intentional direction must move us beyond defeatism to
optimism, beyond extraction toward regeneration, beyond linear toward circular
economies, beyond individual benefit toward the common good, beyond short-term
thinking toward long-term thinking and acting.
Awaken to New Mindsets
In The Future We Choose, guides
for the UN’s Paris Accord convention,
Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac suggest three mindsets that are
necessary if we are to survive the climate crisis: Stubborn Optimism, Endless
Abundance, and Radical Regeneration.
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| Energy Glyphs by Julie Aston (top) Tools by Julie Aston and granddaughters (bottom) |
Optimism is about being able to
intentionally identify and prescribe the desired future so as to actively pull
it closer … having steadfast confidence in our ability to solve big challenges …
actively proving, through every decision and action, that we are capable of
designing a better future.
Abundance is a mindset shift away from competition
and toward shared winning … enhancing collaboration … trusting human creativity,
solidarity, innovation … constantly teaching one another.
Regeneration is the
self-generated healing process that restores an organism’s injured bodily part
from the remaining healthy tissues. It is moving away from extracting and
depleting and concentrating on our capacity for supporting regeneration
through such activities as meditation and mindfulness practices, gardening,
crafting, drawing, playing or listening to music, exercising, meandering in the
park, or paddling down a river.
By cultivating these three mindsets, we give
clearer, stronger direction to our lives and to our world, setting the necessary
foundation for us to collectively co-create the world we want.
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| Energy Glyphs by Kathy Marshall using lamb's wool and lichen |
Transform Existing Mindsets
Essential to transforming our
mindset is the intention to see beyond the immediate horizon, have comfort with
uncertainty, and commit to:
• noticing how and
when we are depleted and then support
ourselves.
• reaffirming and strengthening the
regenerative capacity we
already display with family and friends intentionally
and
consistently.
• engaging those beyond our innermost circle and indeed
nature itself through rewilding and conserving and protecting
our water.
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| Energy Glyph Tools by Judy Newman (top) and Sandy Brown Jensen (bottom) |
Design A New Future
1.
Let Go of the Old World
Let go of the fossil-fuel-dominated past and focus on a
sustainable future.
2. Face Your Grief but Hold a Vision of the Future
Imagination is essential.
3. Defend the Truth
Don’t give up on climate deniers.
4. See Yourself as a Citizen – Not as a Consumer
Dematerialize to reclaim your
idea of a good life.
5. Move Beyond Fossil Fuels
Stand up for 100% renewable
energy.
6. Reforest the Earth
Plant trees, let nature flourish and go plant
based.
7. Invest in a Clean Economy
Put your money where it matters.
8. Use
Technology Responsibly
Find out if your government, your local community,
or
the company you work for is investing in AI,
and what they are using it for.
9.
Build Gender Equality
If you are a woman, now is the time to consider running
for public office or being more assertive about a deserved
promotion at work.
10. Engage in Politics
If democracy is to survive and thrive into the 21st
century,
climate change is the one big test that it cannot fail.
When
considering an action, ask: Does this actively contribute to humans
and nature thriving together as one integrated system on this planet? Remember
to regularly and intentionally listen to birdsong … engage in forest bathing …
explore the flights of butterflies, birds, and dragonflies …
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| LiDoña Wagner Kamala Harris Glyph on recycled paper |
