An invitation for curiosity, conversation, and connection
Outlining the intention for a newsletter designed to foster community-led discussions about climate change and community
What?
Transforming climate change anxiety into activism
Nature based and engineered solutions to climate change
Building community & resiliency in a time of separation
An occasional rant on markets
This is a placeholder for the topics that will be covered on this newsletter.
Why?
My intention with this newsletter is to start conversations. I do not claim to be an expert of any sort on climate change or community. In fact, I hardly know anything! I am fortunate to have time & space in my life to dive deeper and I would like to share this process with my community.
The title is Build Bridges because at the moment the world seems to be a bit, dare I say it, polarized? We need more bridges. Building a bridge is an act of compassion. It’s saying “hey, you’re over there and I’m over here and you can stay over there but if you ever want to come hang out over here you’re welcome. Maybe one day I’ll come check it out over there. Or maybe someday we could meet in the middle?”
Can we stay firm in our beliefs and open to evolving? Can we build bridges between the city and the soil? Between nature based and engineered solutions? Between the head and the heart?
Why Now?
The urgency around climate change has sparked new anxieties in many of us. That anxiety can be like a little fire that sparks us to take action. Or it can just burn us to a crisp.
The Eastern Europe conflict has exposed alarming energy dependencies and spiked food and energy prices.
The 2020-2022 pandemic has created a sense of isolation that has degraded our sense of community. We can either double down on that separation or choose to embrace community resiliency.
Why Me?
My life has been one big chaotic experiment in building bridges. I have been deep in the city grind working in early stage tech startup sales. Slangin’. I have fallen off the face of the world for several years exploring permaculture communities in Europe, Oregon, Hawaii, and California. I have worshipped capitalism and demonized capitalism. All that good stuff.
Through these experiences, I have realized my place in the world is to be a messenger across the bridges.
When:
I don’t really know what the frequency will be. We’ll see. If it’s ever too much, just let me know. Sometimes I get really excited and can’t help myself.
And with that, I’ll leave you with a poem from Rumi I was recently shared that feels timely and fitting for this newsletter:
The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you
Don’t go back to sleep!
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep!
People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
-Rumi