I haven't written a post in nearly two months. The climate change event we held at school went very well. Just over 70 people attended, and our three presenters were such a perfect group. Dr. Holtz from UMD presented on the science of climate change and its impacts; Ms. Archer from UMD presented on ecosystems, true cost accounting, and unquantified connections; and Chaplain Sell from St. Paul's presented on a Christian perspective on climate change and environmental stewardship.
Many of my students expressed that they attended for extra credit, but found the speakers and topics very interesting, scary, and/or inspiring - worth experiencing for their own value.
So I've been wondering where next to focus some energy. We're having another talk in a couple months, educational and inspiring(!), but what should I now do to develop myself as an effective climate change activist?
Speaking with a former student a couple months ago, we discussed how to make an impact in the world. Near the end of the conversation he said that he thinks developing ourselves to our potential in a spiritual sense is an important piece of the puzzle. And I agree (though I find it more challenging than I used to to use the word spiritual).
Developing our knowledge of the external world gives us a good description of what's out there, which is important. Science measures matter and energy, the world out there, and it could inform our actions. But perfect knowledge does not equate to perfect action. Knowing how to lose weight and get strong doesn't have the pounds drop off and muscles grow.
The external world is part of our experience of being alive. The internal world is another. Knowledge on the one hand, being on the other. Epistemology and Ontology.
In every aspect of life we're dealing with those two worlds.
Many of my students expressed that they attended for extra credit, but found the speakers and topics very interesting, scary, and/or inspiring - worth experiencing for their own value.
So I've been wondering where next to focus some energy. We're having another talk in a couple months, educational and inspiring(!), but what should I now do to develop myself as an effective climate change activist?
Speaking with a former student a couple months ago, we discussed how to make an impact in the world. Near the end of the conversation he said that he thinks developing ourselves to our potential in a spiritual sense is an important piece of the puzzle. And I agree (though I find it more challenging than I used to to use the word spiritual).
Developing our knowledge of the external world gives us a good description of what's out there, which is important. Science measures matter and energy, the world out there, and it could inform our actions. But perfect knowledge does not equate to perfect action. Knowing how to lose weight and get strong doesn't have the pounds drop off and muscles grow.
The external world is part of our experience of being alive. The internal world is another. Knowledge on the one hand, being on the other. Epistemology and Ontology.
In every aspect of life we're dealing with those two worlds.
