20 June 2009

169 Days - Laugh or Cry? Climate Heaven or Climate Hell?

Sometimes I just break down and weep. I am one of the unlucky ones ... I understand global climate change, I see it happening, I know who is being impacted the worst (and it ain't rich white people with big cars) — and it breaks my heart.If I didn't feel the pain, I wouldn't spend hours every day doing this work for the sake of the future. I'd be having a good time.
I lament that more people don't share this burden. I've often thought that if everyone did their share, no one would have to do it all. And some days, it feels like we can count the world's real climate activists on our hands and maybe one foot.

Anyway, after a cry and a short walk today to clear my mind (and restore my heart), I sent a resource to a fellow activist by email. His response was almost immediate. To which I replied: "Now ... what are we both doing indoors at our computers on such a lovely day?????"

His response made me laugh: "My computer and I seem attached at our navels, though I don't know who is feeding whom. Anyway, as you know weather does not distract me from climate."

Oh well, I found it funny. ;-)

Anyway, here's my point — and my compassionate climate action for today: In order to do this work, to be dedicated climate activists on behalf of the children of all species, we have to feel some pain, we have to cry, to despair, to occasionally lose faith in our species, to get angry at the stonewalling and denial and obfuscation.

And then we have to remember that if we don't do it, maybe nobody will. We have to carry on and do what we can do. We have to reach out, support others who are making the effort, encourage those who are contemplating making the leap. (It takes courage to jump into climate change activism.)

And then every once in a while, we must laugh.

Have you heard the one about the climate change activist who walked into a bar ...? (Neither have I.) Okay, try this website for some late-night global warming humour (which is separate from the climate change jokes, global warming cartoons and cartoons and memes about climate change).

Here's my favourite:
"According to a new UN report, the global warming outlook is much worse than originally predicted. Which is pretty bad when they originally predicted it would destroy the planet."
— Jay Leno

And here's one last one that I found in an essay on the dearth of global warming humour:
"Interviewing the presenter of a CNN programme called 'Planet in Peril,' Stephen Colbert asks, 'Are you talking about Planet Earth?' ('Yes.') 'Could that eventually affect Planet America?'"

Get it?

Okay, back to the serious work now.

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I would appreciate hearing your thoughts or questions on this post or anything else you've read here. What is your take on courage and compassion being an important part of the solution to the climate change emergency?