“We Can Do This!”
What if we RCers took responsibility for seeing to it1 that everyone around us learned about the current reality of climate change and got fully informed about the potential risks? What if we held community forums at which we taught people tools for processing their reactions to the seriousness of the situation?
My city, Watsonville (California, USA), has about fifty-five thousand people. It’s in Santa Cruz County, which has perhaps two hundred thousand people. I am taking the direction of seeing to it that everyone in my city and county gets fully informed about climate change and am thinking about what steps to take to make that happen.
Will you join me in deciding that you will be the person to see to it that everyone around you gets informed? How many people could we reach in one year? Are you already doing this? Please let me know. Here’s what I have been doing so far:
I am cultivating relationships with people already working in local environmental organizations. That includes the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Watsonville Wetlands Watch.
I am using my connections in the local school district to see what I can do to reach middle and high school students. I am building relationships with science teachers, a science curriculum coach, and someone who runs an environmental program in the area high schools. I attended a school assembly with a program called ACE—Alliance for Climate Education—and connected with school staff, appreciated the presenter, and suggested incorporating listening time in pairs into the assembly.
I am building a coalition of people who want to take action—participate in rallies and marches, staff education tables at local festivals, and so on. The group includes students, teachers, retired teachers, people running for the local city council, and environmental activists. I’m aiming for good representation from the larger community.
I attended a local Peace and Unity March in memory of people who had died from violence in Watsonville and carried a sign linking climate change to stress and increased violence. That opened up many conversations—with police, a parole officer, leaders from churches, youth, and politicians.
Many people I talk to suggest another person or group for me to meet. Each conversation can be a little seed that sprouts and grows.
I am working with library staff to plan a program of events for next April focused on climate change. I am developing relationships with reporters for local newspapers.
I now have about 130 people on an e-mail list to which I send periodic updates from the news about climate change so that they continue to get informed.
As I build relationships, I’m introducing ideas and structures from RC. As I think it makes sense, I will invite people to an RC class, teach them one-on-one,2 or start a group for leaders who are taking on3 environmental issues.
We can do this! One by one, we can reach all the people of the world with the important information about climate change, listen to them respond, and then encourage them to take action. For me it’s heartwarming, leads to great personal connections, and is a way to reclaim power. It also gives me a vehicle for using my mind fully and loving people openly. Thanks to all of you for keeping me inspired and moving forward.
Nancy Faulstich
Watsonville, California, USA
Reprinted from the e-mail discussion
list for RC Community members
1 “Seeing to it” means making certain.
2 “One-on-one” means individually.
3 “Taking on” means doing something about.