On active hope ...

Over the past 10 months I have dramatically ramped up my activism with respect to climate degradation.   My mood was being seriously affected by the escalating alarmism in the media, my familiarity with the literature around the impact of global warming on vulnerable populations, and my feeling that my individual choices were negligible in effect.  I started out attending protests at the start of the year, but quickly felt their irrelevance. Protests may be effective in a time and a place where they are subversive; in Toronto, however, “politically correct” marches for the rights of women, LGBTQ2 folks, and the environment are sanctioned and become a feel-good moment in time.  I’m not sure they accomplish much. They seem tolerated, and then what happens in a practical sense in the 364 days between marches?  

​Speaking and acting up on the topic of climate change seems important to me because it is a pan-partisan, universal issue that encompasses everything else I care about.  Destruction of our climate is inextricably linked with racism (racialized individuals both locally and globally are the first and most severely affected by the consequences of climate change), capitalism (climate destruction is fueled by extractive and wasteful practices driven by an economic model that bows to the altar of infinite growth), colonialism (much of the world’s capitalistic extractive activities take place on stolen land historically inhabited by cultures that have experienced genocide), anthropocentrism (humans place themselves above, or central, to all other beings, ignoring their own place in the interdependent web of life … at their peril), patriarchy (the systematic exclusion of women in community decision-making results in less collaboration).  I started doing more research about the many groups that are engaged in agitating for systematic change. I landed on Extinction Rebellion (XR) for their principled and organized approach.  XR focuses on civilly disobedient tactics. I have long discerned between legality and morality - clearly an important distinction … there are many examples of things that are legal but not moral.  I also think that there are many examples of things that are highly moral, but illegal. I believe that disrupting the status quo in the name of a better future is an example of this.

Earlier this month, XR blocked bridges and snarled traffic in various places around the world.  The goal was to disrupt business as usual; to get the attention of decision makers; to inspire others to elect decision makers who can affect change (especially in Canada where the action immediately preceded our federal election).  In Toronto, 18 rebels were arrested (I wasn’t one of them, despite being asked a number of times) for the cause. To be honest, I’m not sure how effective that approach is - it compromises their individual freedoms, it takes them somewhat out of the action, it costs them and the organization money in legal fees.  However, I do admire that folks are willing to make significant sacrifices for the greater good. Critics have questioned the wisdom of blocking traffic causing cars to idle and people to be late for work and school … an excellent point, particularly because XR is not about blaming the individual (ie. those who drive vehicles).  However, without getting in people’s faces, without complicating their day, people are less likely to pay attention.  

If we lived in a city where public transit was smoother and more efficient; where cyclists felt safe getting from A to B; where families were supported in balancing household responsibilities with earning an income, allowing children to walk to school; then our road blocking actions would be far less disruptive.  When I despair why we aren’t collectively doing everything possible, I remind myself of the challenges inherent to behaviour change. A truism of public health is that unless the system is designed to make it easy to make the helpful choices, it is difficult for individuals to make them. Our current colonial/capitalist system (see above) has created an impossible situation for many people.  

I would love to get more creative about ways that we can pressure governments and corporations to make different choices.  I love the idea of guerilla gardening - planting trees and food in public places to increase the carbon sink and address food insecurity (which is inherently interconnected with the climate crisis).  Organizing a mass movement to move personal and business investments from the big banks and firms that fund fossil fuel projects to social responsible investments and credit unions.  More and more I think that pushing for proportional representation is critical to ensure that the values and interests of citizens are being accurately represented in legislature.  Organizations and institutions can advocate for responsible decision-making by corporations and government.   

​I’m doing my best to seek opportunities in my life to address this situation from as many angles as possible.  The closer I spiral, the more peaceful I feel. Joanna Macy’s concept of “active hope” speaks to me.  I feel optimistic because I am doing something that may be somewhat tipping the balance in a helpful direction.  I feel joyful because no matter the “truth” or the outcome, all the strategies that folks are talking about to address the climate catastrophe will inherently make the world a better place. 

We all have a role to play, from wherever we find ourselves, with whatever our gifts and talents, in whatever way makes our hearts sing.  To think about the problems that need solving and how we can contribute to those solutions.  

So I organize.  I advocate. I make many small choices in my personal life.  I write, I sing, I speak.  I seek out like-minded individuals and figure out how our skills complement one another's.  I read. And I remember to care for myself, and to rest in the loving arms of my family and friends.  

​I’m grateful for the opportunity to be alive at this time in history.  I’m grateful for my privilege, and I am doing my best to fulfill the responsibilities that come with it.