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Apr 13, 2023·edited Apr 13, 2023Liked by Gen Dread

As a youngish person living in Calgary, I really enjoyed reading a bit about Alan's story. For climate dread folks I find it an additional difficulty living somewhere like Calgary that is lagging far behind on climate action, the frustratingly unbudging status quo, the political climate etc. So it's always good to know one more person in Calgary that shares our concerns. I migrated here and love the city for many reasons. But the city's and the province's attitude and action on climate isn't one of them. I continuously debate relocating for this reason. So it's also interesting that relocating led to Alan's change in perspective. Though losing advocates for action on climate doesn't help the situation here either. A conundrum I've not reconciled with myself yet. Again, thanks Alan and the Gen Dread team for sharing his story.

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Apr 14, 2023Liked by Gen Dread

At 58, and having been a lacto/ovo vegetarian since I was 17, I'm finally willing to admit I can do better by eating vegan. I'm not there yet, and may never be completely, but have recently taken the big steps of no longer purchasing milk or cheese at the grocery store (still allowing myself to eat small amounts of cheese when dining out). It's about sacrifice ultimately - am I willing to give up the pleasure of milk in my coffee for the earth and especially animal welfare? I definitely don't enjoy my coffee as much (yes I have tried every vegan creamer - just gross!) but have reached a point where the other matters more.

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founding
Apr 14, 2023Liked by Gen Dread

Soooo – landscape architects (LA’s) are capital ‘E’s’ in ESG and were sustainable long before sustainability was cool… Buuuut – I work in development… And – we pour looots of concrete…

My eCo-AnXiEtY crisis moment happened at a continuing education conference: 1 ton of concrete produces 1 ton of CO2 (lifecycle & human-sourced) and a decent sized sugar maple planted for each ton will take 20 years to sequester (absorb) that ton of CO2… When you do the math there is not enough land on the planet to offset the CO2 from concrete alone…

DENIAL, ECO-ANXIETY, DESPONDENCE… Humans need housing, there is a housing crisis, a climate crisis, a biodiversity crisis… Much of my work involves environmental resource protection. And much of it is redevelopment = exponentially more sustainable than new development.

Even as a LA I lacked the vocabulary and climate mental health understanding to know what was happening to me. Enter ‘Don’t Look Up’, author Britt Wray, Generation Dread, and the Gen Dread Team and Community (a safe space for me).

What am I doing about it?

Near 50 meetings (and counting) across numerous professions and industries to discuss sustainability, biodiversity, and climate mental health… A new mission and focus on rewilding the acres and acres of existing corporate campus sites… A new mission in sustainable community redevelopment...

In the words of James Dyson, don’t tell the public you’re sustainable, do it – do the right thing.

Invest in resilience and the public will find you. Gen Z and Millennials (see recent Gen Dread article) increasingly know what they are looking for in employers, developments, and establishments and will put their talents and interests toward their future. A future we, in the words of conservationist John James Audubon, have borrowed from them.

But do they have those options in the market place?

That is my mission…

Kind Regards,

Sidney (Ramsey) Walker PLA ASLA

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Apr 18, 2023Liked by Gen Dread

I like to think that I am living and doing what I have set out to do. Working in career development, it bothered me that we never talk about organized labour. There is always a focus on how the individual can better improve their circumstances rather than how they can alter the work environment and the terms of their employment to better meet their needs. It parallels the Carbon Footprint calculator promoted by Oil companies looking to put the onus back on the individual and deflect blame from themselves.

I find it is easy to get buy-in on changes that are win-win, whereby those in power and those without both stand to benefit. When we start proposing solution in situations where some will need to give up power in order for others to benefit, I have found this a lot more challenging. While I work in a unionized environment as a career counsellor and many of my colleagues across professions are supportive, I am always surprised by how visceral a reaction discussing organized labour triggers in people as opposed to seeing simply a tool (among many others) for building a more equitable world.

Likewise, while I express concern over BP's Carbon Footprint calculator (even on my most wasteful day I never blew up an oil line in the ocean), I have softened my view after friends shared that reducing their own carbon footprints serves as a source of agency and self-care that helps them continue to remain resilient amidst the climate-crisis.

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I became a vegetarian in 1986 after reading Diet for a Small Planet. I worked on the Prince William Sound Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 as a volunteer, and that catalyzed a career in wildlife conservation. Decades later, I determined that that career choice had led to a lot of carbon emissions during research and travel to conferences, but that it had not effected much actual change- if any at all. That felt pretty rotten. I resolved to change my focus to local work. That severely curtailed my career, but at least I was doing a lot less harm. We had the privilege of being able to move onto a small piece of land, build a net-zero energy house, and grow a lot of our own food 15 years ago. I have stopped all flying except to see family, primarily my mother. I fly across the continent and back twice a year to see her (she's 85 now and in poor health). My attempt at making this less awful is spending at least a month and working remotely when I visit. No other transportation option is feasible for me right now. I struggle with that choice although it means I also see a dozen other close relatives each trip as well, and it obviously means a lot to my mom. When I am home, I work to restore our land, planting trees and removing invasive species, and keep my carbon footprint as small as possible- I use a bicycle for most transportation, rarely travel anywhere, and we still grow a very large proportion of our fruits and veggies. I have stopped beating myself up for every climate sin- I own a carnivorous dog, raise a few sheep (I use the wool for spinning and knitting, and they provide the only meat we eat), I've cut down but not eliminated dairy. There is no getting around the enormous climate impact my life has had. However, I have come to focus more on how we can address environmental injustice and recognize the privilege of making lifestyle changes (although those of us who are able must make them). I believe we must stop focusing on guilting each other and instead focus on building the community we will need to become in order to survive.

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