Dread…
I admit, has kept me from writing this.
Dread about staring at an empty page while my screentime for the day surpasses 9 hours.
Dread about getting the darn title, initial hook and structure just right because effective marketing principles are branded into my brain.
And dread about these words vanishing into the ever growing digital cloud that looms over the bustling empires I’ve surrendered to subconsiously.
I mean, will this actually make a difference? Is there any point in trying?
There’s a part of me that needs to admit…
I’m ashamed.
My reality ricochets between the steep societal walls I was raised to scale and the rebelious ideals I try to embrace while clinging to capital comforts.
Despite my awareness of climate change, I keep succumbing to choices of convenience that are catastrophic to this Earth.
A styrofoam cup, an Amazon buy, a takeout box and new clothes with harsh dyes…
It’s overwhelming!
Global temperatures are rising, glaciers are retreating, sea levels are getting higher, and extreme weather events are happening more and more frequently.
I scroll through all these symptoms listed on NASA’s website and tell myself I’ll do better…
I’m seeing the impacts directly. My mom sent us a video showing smoke from Canada’s wildfires engulfing our house in New York; my sister shared photos of hurricane-smashed sailboats scattered across her harbor that still linger in my mind…
But honestly, I know I’ll make more detrimental decisions.
Accepting this, I embrace that my guilt is wrapped in systems that shape me.
My struggles are a result of living in a Western society that encourages mass consumption, detachment, exploitation, hustle, and greed.
Rattled and weary, I hold onto this awareness and refuse to fold into ignorance or hopeless surrender.
The burden, while heavy, is not solely mine. Mere collaboration, however, is not the answer either.
All environmental solutions will only be partial if we continue to bypass the imperial power that’s causing so much pain.
This is why I’m passionate about Proven Sustainable, a project I’ve helped bring to life over the past two years with an inspiring, dedicated team.
My long-time mentor and friend, Sox Sperry, founded the iniative to shed light on the fact that there are Indigenous and Maroon groups who have survived the tests of climate changes and pervasive Western ways for centuries. Through reflective questions prompted by their quotes, images, and resources, we can re-member a world in which humans live with other species on this earth with respectful balance.
We’re also learning from and supporting Indigenous individuals and advocates through a recorded conversations series intended to challenge unconscious assumptions and colonized perceptions for more conscious action in these uncertain times.
Our plan is to continue facilitating these in-depth dialogues and add new series that highlight specific sustainability projects where Indigenous and Maroon leaders are exemplifying respectful ways to address prevelant environmental issues.
If you’ve made it this far, I sincerely appreciate your time and attention.
I hope you’ll leave a comment, share this with others, then step away from your device to get in touch with what’s around you and within you.
Originally published here on Substack.com
