Intergenerational Ecology

This weekend I had the chance to speak on a panel about the environment at an intergenerational luncheon at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun. I was joined by my 10 year old son who spoke about what the environment meant to him and how people could help protect it. We were also joined by Vivian Yale, an 86 year old environmentalist who shared memories about how much more earth friendly people were back when she was a child, and Les Judd, founder of Green Boroughs, who discussed what motivated his new business venture. The audience responded strongly to the idea that climate change was already affecting us, and to understanding that the solutions were in some part psychological.
One audience member, however, commented that changes in policy mattered more than how we modified our behavior. I agree with an emphasis on policy, but tend to think that policy and people grow and work together. We can't implement new legislative outcomes until we can imagine difference. Listening to Vivian Yale describe being summoned to the local candy story to receive a phone call felt communal and friendly. My son's comments evoked a similar sentiment when he said "I am very, very happy when I am in the more remote parts of the environment, like forests and mountains. I really love to protect these places. They are beautiful and full of wonder and majesty. I feel the same about animals."
Based on what I hear from the people who work with me, no one is that pleased with the existing relationship we have to our earth. We all know that something is missing and seem to be waiting for some motivational event - because the problem just appears to be so big. We can't work and vote for the legislation that will help us rebuild what we have lost, until we ourselves feel the loss, value it, and then believe that something we do can actually make a difference.
On Peoples' Minds: "Sometimes I think that these memories of how life used to be are also ideas for how life could be." - Vivian Yale.
In the News: This was a while back, but I think it makes the point that climate affects our minds, our personalities --- and then our communities and cultures. Dealing with climate change means a willingness to recognize the interdependence between all aspects of human cultures, landscapes and ecosystems.
Note: Recently this article was pointed out to me by habanera (thank you!). Human activity is coming close to damaging every corner of our marine ecosystems. This is going to frighten and scare people. The defenses that people adopt when frightened and scared are often dissociation ( a kind of emotional disconnect) and denial (deciding something isn't happening). Dissociation and denial often lead people to keep engaging in the destructive behavior that led to them feeling frightened in the first place. People can't vote or act on behalf of new legislation until they feel the cause for which they fight, and believe in their ability to effect change.