climate journey
Climate journey is a term coming into use to describe both the subjective feelings and responses, as these may evolve over time for each of us on our particular paths, and the stages of discovery and action we may be called into as we help each other find our way.
I. Helping Each Other Make Sense of Our Situation
We can no longer avoid the consequences of climate change already upon us, radically upsetting most of the world we have known, affecting our own lives deeply and significantly altering what we and all others around the world can plan on for the future. As Quakers we can and must help each other cope with these challenges, acting on our faith and using our practices in new ways.
We can also--and this is important--discover in our long-standing Friends' traditions, a power to help a great many within and beyond our wider communities, who in these times are urgently searching for meaning. guidance and new grounding. We can share how, by means of careful inquiry and deep listening, we may come to clearness and unity, and so be led by Spirit. Sharing such practices, or adapted versions of them, can be a much needed gift that we as Friends can offer to others who are struggling to meet the challenges of these times. Among some of the places for these gifts:
- We can help each other--especially for those who are younger--to better discern and prepare for ways our lives might be expected to change. And we can see new ways we may be of service, now and in the intermediate and longer term.
- We can reach out to others in our workplaces, communities, and other networks, who could use support to talk about their own climate concerns. We can help those in our wider communities express the emotions the climate crisis brings and see ways that they might make a real difference in what happens with a renewed sense of faith and meaning.
- We can also be among those stepping up in our communities, professions, and other networks, near and far, doing the work of rescue and resilience and promoting critically needed changes, offering our best as led.
Queries for Facing the Crisis Together
In the "big picture", what is the climate crisis about? What does it mean for our own lives? For others? For other living systems? For our world?
What practical ways do we know of to cope with the difficulties ahead of us? How can we best help each other, near and far, through it? How can we help other living systems?
What does this mean for us spiritually? What are we called to do? How might we best help others in working through their feelings and finding meaning, especially those with more years in their lives still ahead than behind?
In the "big picture", what is the climate crisis about? What does it mean for our own lives? For others? For other living systems? For our world?
What practical ways do we know of to cope with the difficulties ahead of us? How can we best help each other, near and far, through it? How can we help other living systems?
What does this mean for us spiritually? What are we called to do? How might we best help others in working through their feelings and finding meaning, especially those with more years in their lives still ahead than behind?
II. Finding Our Way to a Livable Future, While Coping with Today
Much of this website, and of what we may as Quakers find ourselves called to do, will be driven by the urgent, climate-related needs around us. But in the end, our best response to the climate crisis cannot be determined only by the needs of the moment. We must turn our attention to not only what we can do now, but also toward that of the more livable future we might yet achieve.
In this part of the website, we start with those resources that help us answer the question, "How are we to live? And also, "What might we yet be able to achieve?" To do this, we've organized some of the promising possibilities for human life as evidenced by solutions or ways of living that already exist, are newly emerging, or that once existed in human society and are now being pressed back into service. We've identified eight areas of focus, symbolized in the visual we've named "The Compass." Each of these eight sectors is a fundamental component of any society, fulfilling a function we cannot do without. What we can seek to do, however, is to shape that sector, that function, into something healthy in its processes and in its outcomes for all of the ecosystems affected by it.
On The Compass, each of the eight sectors is labeled with an adjective that names its benefit, e.g. "Restorative Agriculture," and then offered as a vision of a livable future. Finally, in this section, we turn inward again, asking how we may help ourselves and each other deal with our both our doubts and the faith that our aspirations for change can awaken in us.
Much of this website, and of what we may as Quakers find ourselves called to do, will be driven by the urgent, climate-related needs around us. But in the end, our best response to the climate crisis cannot be determined only by the needs of the moment. We must turn our attention to not only what we can do now, but also toward that of the more livable future we might yet achieve.
In this part of the website, we start with those resources that help us answer the question, "How are we to live? And also, "What might we yet be able to achieve?" To do this, we've organized some of the promising possibilities for human life as evidenced by solutions or ways of living that already exist, are newly emerging, or that once existed in human society and are now being pressed back into service. We've identified eight areas of focus, symbolized in the visual we've named "The Compass." Each of these eight sectors is a fundamental component of any society, fulfilling a function we cannot do without. What we can seek to do, however, is to shape that sector, that function, into something healthy in its processes and in its outcomes for all of the ecosystems affected by it.
On The Compass, each of the eight sectors is labeled with an adjective that names its benefit, e.g. "Restorative Agriculture," and then offered as a vision of a livable future. Finally, in this section, we turn inward again, asking how we may help ourselves and each other deal with our both our doubts and the faith that our aspirations for change can awaken in us.
Queries for Aiming for a Livable Future
Might a livable future still be within our reach? What is still possible? What do we even meaning by a "livable future"? And how could we get there from here?
Can we meet the needs of all by healing rather than harming Earth's biosystems--or each other?
Might we transition to systems and structures and ways of treating each other that bring out the best, rather than the worst, in each other?
How can we best use what power we do have as Friends--as activists, changemakers, truth-tellers, citizens, donors--in service of the future we do truly need?
Might a livable future still be within our reach? What is still possible? What do we even meaning by a "livable future"? And how could we get there from here?
Can we meet the needs of all by healing rather than harming Earth's biosystems--or each other?
Might we transition to systems and structures and ways of treating each other that bring out the best, rather than the worst, in each other?
How can we best use what power we do have as Friends--as activists, changemakers, truth-tellers, citizens, donors--in service of the future we do truly need?
III. Acting on Our Concerns
What we refer to as a climate crisis is, in reality, a "planetary crisis" affecting not only weather but our soils, seas, forests, watersheds and all living systems on the planet, including human societies in all parts of the world. We know we must act. But a problem as big as the world is simply too complex to even think about for long, let alone solve. To take meaningful action we have to pull the planetary crisis apart into its many actionable sectors. And fortunately, that's exactly what people are doing all over the world.
In this part of the website we have collected and sorted out resources of particular value around each of a number of concerns related to the planetary crisis we now face. We have categorized the many different kinds of actions that we as Quakers are actually involved in, and identified opportunities and actions selected to be of particular use for each of them. We've tried to include resources with stories and strategies that suggest effective ways of addressing each of the kinds of concerns found in this and the next section.
You will also find here ways to connect with Friends and others who align with your particular climate concerns to share support, ideas, and actions around them. Together we can both strengthen our actions in the areas of our shared concern and also connect with those working in other sectors to explore the complementarities and interdependencies between our respective areas. By reaching out well beyond our usual networks, we can help others to discern their own leadings and find the resources most useful for them to work with. We may even find companions along the way who are looking for what we, as Friends, have to offer the climate movement, and who are drawn to work with us in advancing these concerns for the good of all.
Queries for Acting on our Concerns
Of the many aspects of the planetary crisis that are of concern, and the many opportunities and solutions now emerging, what draws you? What is there in you, in your history, circumstances, passions, experiences and talents that makes you particularly connect to these issues and opportunities?
How might you act upon your climate concerns? How do you see your particular role or opportunities? What help do you need? What help is needed by others you care about? How might you collaborate? How can you find others to also work with?
In our witness for the global environment, are we careful to consider justice and the well-being of the world's poorest people? (Pacific Yearly Meeting, advices and Queries, Harmony with Creation, Queries for Meetings)
Of the many aspects of the planetary crisis that are of concern, and the many opportunities and solutions now emerging, what draws you? What is there in you, in your history, circumstances, passions, experiences and talents that makes you particularly connect to these issues and opportunities?
How might you act upon your climate concerns? How do you see your particular role or opportunities? What help do you need? What help is needed by others you care about? How might you collaborate? How can you find others to also work with?
In our witness for the global environment, are we careful to consider justice and the well-being of the world's poorest people? (Pacific Yearly Meeting, advices and Queries, Harmony with Creation, Queries for Meetings)
IV. Achieving Systems Change
Whatever our particular concerns in the planetary crisis, at some point we hit a structural impediment or recurring pattern that demands change at a greater scale than our actions address. For example, imagine that you live in a town whose waterways you and others are seeking to restore and you realize the town has the legal prerogative to deny future development along the river. What began as a hands-on Waterkeeper project might adjust its focus to lobbying local or regional leaders to change its laws to preserve undeveloped riverfront in perpetuity. Such systems-level focus can help connect the climate movement's various parts, revealing the bigger picture.
In these connections we can discern the the big systems driving them, the social structures, agreements, and beliefs, including those that empower us and those that are impediments to a livable future. They also help us see more clearly the kinds of deep systems transformations that are necessary if we are to survive, let alone thrive. These realizations then pose the questions, "How on Earth can we change the very systems that have driven the world into this mess? And how can we know we're steering the ship in the right direction?"
Understanding the climate crisis as a systems problem helps us identify key points of leverage, and get clear on just what kind of change needs to happen at precisely which points to allow us at last to get off of fossil-fuels and expansionist systems in favor of truly livable conditions for all. It also helps us see more precisely where to confront the powerful interests seeking to maintain the status quo.
The systems change part of the website, then, includes resources and successful examples of a full range of strategic actions, effective in achieving different kinds of systems change, including organized and carefully targeted non-violent confrontation where necessary to overcome the largest forces of harm.
Queries for Achieving Systems Change
As citizens--that is, as those who in each part of our lives concern ourselves with the well-being of others, and of our world--we are alive to possibilities for meaningful action in all aspects of our lives. In each of the sectors and systems we depend upon, then where do we see ways of understanding or doing things that are to be protected or transformed? In ourselves, our Meetings, households, communities, professions, and other networks, near and far?
As Friends, we are many of us experienced with the power of non-violent resistance, mobilization, and Spirit-led action. How might we use this power to become vessels for God's work and overcome forces of harm to Creation?
What are the needed systems changes already emerging in each sector of society? How are we connecting these together to yield the conditions for a livable future?
How can we most effectively work with other faith-based and secular climate change groups to leverage our impact for necessary system changes?
As citizens--that is, as those who in each part of our lives concern ourselves with the well-being of others, and of our world--we are alive to possibilities for meaningful action in all aspects of our lives. In each of the sectors and systems we depend upon, then where do we see ways of understanding or doing things that are to be protected or transformed? In ourselves, our Meetings, households, communities, professions, and other networks, near and far?
As Friends, we are many of us experienced with the power of non-violent resistance, mobilization, and Spirit-led action. How might we use this power to become vessels for God's work and overcome forces of harm to Creation?
What are the needed systems changes already emerging in each sector of society? How are we connecting these together to yield the conditions for a livable future?
How can we most effectively work with other faith-based and secular climate change groups to leverage our impact for necessary system changes?