I am hiking. The long trail up the mountain stretches out ahead. It’s a bright spring day on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The trees are desperately sprouting leaves celebrating the green ouroboros. While the air is cold, the earth is warm. A raven squawks from across the [...]
Anytime there is a disruption to society, there is also an opportunity to change the status quo. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is terrible and deadly. Many of my clients in environmental and climate organizations are now changing focus on how to immediately help our fellow citizens. [...]
I’m from Minnesota. I remember when we had snow and cold winters. We don’t much anymore. One year, we got two 18 inch snowfalls a day apart, and then the weather turned really cold. For the first week, people pretty much hunkered down. We knew it would end someday, [...]
If you are reading this, chances are you’re a climate communicator. You may also be frustrated with the progress we’ve made over the last 30 years. The communication techniques of dull fact-based presentations, or the abject fear we’ve painted haven’t worked, and won’t work simply by doubling down. So [...]
I am struck by the similarities of the Corona Virus and the Climate Crisis. They are both equal opportunity threats to our way of life. The COVID-19 virus will not be stopped by walls, and neither will the impact of climate. Yet there is a common path forward. In [...]
When your hair is on fire, what should you do? Run around and keep yelling, “My hair is on fire?” Or perhaps ask people for help? After all, they can see your hair is on fire. The same thing applies to the climate crisis. Our house is on fire. [...]
I have a friend who grew up in rural Minnesota. His favorite expression is, “You can’t put a duck bill on a beaver and call it a platypus.” This aphorism pretty much sums up urban thinking about rural America. We try to make it something it isn’t, and then [...]
I have a friend that says that in order to change the presidency in America, we need to have a stock market crash. I know others, who claim to be environmentalists, that are secretly glad that Australia and California are burning to ash and hope for more disaster. Or [...]
I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I’m not a New Year’s Resolution type of person. For me, if I want to make a change, I usually just do it. Sometimes it takes a while. A couple of attempts. Changes can be really hard for any of us, [...]
I have a friend who laments the loss of hope with regard to the climate challenge. I hear this a lot in climate organizations. You work your ass off for months or years trying to stop a toxic pipeline, and then they put it in anyway. Or you can’t [...]
