For some, the fight against climate change seems like too daunting of a task, but one local resident wants to encourage others to embrace hope.
Kuya Minogue, a member of Creston Climate Action, considers herself an activist. She has been researching the climate crisis for years to see how she could contribute to change.
“The climate issue has just felt so overwhelming,” said Minogue, who is also the resident teacher at Sakura-ji, Creston’s zendo. “I do my own things by living lightly on the land, separating my garbage and recycling, and growing my own food. And I know their are a lot of people like me who are living good, ecologically clean lives. I think it makes us feel like we’re making a difference.”
According to Minogue, these small steps towards environmentally-friendly living just aren’t enough to make an impact when it’s only a small minority of individuals taking part.
“There is a real problem here,” she said. “If by 2030, we don’t stop taking fossil fuels out of the ground or manufacturing and producing items that are not biodegradable, it could be irreversible. We need to turn our entire way of living around.”
From her own research, Minogue put together a list of books together at the Creston Valley Public Library on the topics of climate change and radical hope. For the coming weeks, the books will be on display and available for readers to check out, in co-operation with the Creston Climate Action Society.
“Hope has to come first,” said Minogue. “We all have to believe that if we click three buttons online to send a letter to our MLA that it will make a difference. That is an act of hope. Really, every time you put a seed in the ground, it’s an act of hope.”
The term “act of hope” comes from one of Minogue’s favourite books on the topic, called “The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisis” by author Christiana Figueres and her strategic advisor, former Buddhist monk Tom Rivett-Carnac.
Figueres and Rivett-Carnac give many examples of what entails an “act of hope” such as reducing consumption of material goods, moving away from fossil fuels, investing in clean energy, and getting involved in local politics.
Want to get more involved? Check out Creston Climate Action on Facebook or email crestonclimateactionsociety@gmail.com.
A selection of books on the topic of 'Radical Hope'. (Photo by Kelsey Yates
READ MORE: E-Tips: Hello from the Creston Climate Action Society
