Changing Climate, Changing Selves

Workshop # 5
Karen Street

The reality of Climate Change calls us urgently to action. Effective action requires both spiritual energy and solid information: What's happening and why? Who do we believe? What needs changing in our lives? In public policy? How do we answer doubt and cynicism to make way for constructive action? Pre-workshop data due 6/15

Percentage of time:
Worship/worship-sharing 20; Lecture 10; Discussion 50; Experiential 20

Open to all

Expectations and Objectives:

The workshop will touch upon intellectual and spiritual issues of climate change: the science of what is happening, impacts of human activity, public policy, technological and non-technological solutions, and our individual responses and responsibilities.

Some will find the course an accessible introduction to scientific facts and principles, as well as technology and policy issues important in facing the challenges of climate change.  Others already aware of some of the ideas and information presented will find useful resources for spreading the word more widely, including helping your Monthly Meetings move to meaningful action. We will examine our intentions and personal sources of resistance.  Worship sharing will help us find and draw strength from the ocean of light that covers the ocean of darkness.

Topics to be covered:

• The science of climate change, includes two labs and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change handouts

• Impacts of climate change, includes changes we’ve already seen and others we expect to see/may see, with discussion of reliability of sources and limits of knowledge

• Policy solutions, includes comparison of relative advantages and disadvantages of a range of technological and non-technological options currently under consideration by policy experts or being debated in the public

• Examining our own behavior: participants turn in Greenhouse Gas Footprint questionnaire at least two weeks before workshop.

• Connecting to our center: How do we relate to what we learn? How do we stay open to hard truths without despairing? How do we carry uncertainty or disagreement, without closing down, ignoring complexities, becoming attached to our first opinions?  How do we stay charged by Spirit and sensitive to our own and others' leadings?

Format:

We begin and end with worship or worship sharing, 20 – 40 minutes each day. In between are labs and discussions – of the facts, of how we receive them, of how we can communicate them.

To be completed ahead of Gathering:

Participants e-mail me a GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT at least two weeks before beginning of workshop so that I can create a class spreadsheet. A set of recommended readings will be made available ahead of time.