Do Something.

That’s the advice for managing/channeling your climate grief/rage so that you don’t spiral into despair. We can’t only have full-time activists working on climate change, we need everyone to be involved in some way. But oftentimes it can be difficult to figure out what EXACTLY to do- especially when you’re juggling many responsibilities: work/life/friends/family/kids. It’s a lot. When looking at potential ways to contribute, I’ve found myself asking things like:
“Is this worth my time?”
“Does it fit in my schedule?”
“Is it even helping?”
“Do I have the energy to do this on a consistent basis?”

Trying to figure out what you can contribute can lead to its own despair spiral… That’s part of why I stayed focused on individual action for so long. Individual actions are great and necessary. They can also leave you feeling isolated and like maybe you are the only person who actually cares about this crap. (Spoiler Alert: you’re not! 64% of Canadians and 53% of Americans believe that climate change “is a fact and is mostly caused by emissions from vehicles and industrial facilities.”) So, here for you are some actions I’ve taken that have helped me feel more connected and in community- No marches, sit-ins, or protests, I promise.

Picking Up Trash

It’s not glamorous, but it also isn’t too difficult most of the time. Sometimes I’ll do it around the park/playground while my kiddo plays, or on our walks to/from the park. Other times I’ll use it as an excuse to get up from my desk and go for a walk around the neighbourhood. I like picking up trash because it gets me out of my house and interacting with people. Whether it’s smiling at people who pass, or having a conversation with neighbours who stop to thank you (it happens almost an embarrassing amount), you build connections with the people in your community and strong community bonds mean healthier aging, more resilient communities, and a more enjoyable place to live.
All you need are:
-some bags, I use the grocery bags that keep ending up under my sink even though I swear I have 1000 reusable bags and have been known to use a produce box in a pinch.
-pickers and/or gloves, I really recommend the pickers. You never know when you’ll come across something sharp.
-sharps box, this one isn’t for everyone. I usually don’t. In most cities, there are organizations you can call. In Vancouver, if you see discarded needles on the ground you can call 604.657.6561 or email needlevan@phs.ca. You can get more info about Vancouver’s Needle Recover Program HERE. That being said, we do have a box at our house that we will use when necessary (eg. One Sunday morning there was a literal PILE of needles on our block… I think someone must have dumped out a sharps box.)

LOCAL OPEN ACCESS FRIDGE (LOAF)
I started volunteering with the LOAF in Hastings- Sunrise. One day a week, after dropping my kiddo off at daycare, I bike about 10 minutes to the LOAF. My job is to do a fridge check (different volunteers do these and it is checked on at least 3x/day). I tidy up and organize the fridge, freezer, and pantry, pick up any garbage lying around, wipe down surfaces, check to make sure everything is working properly, and that the fridge and freezers are at food-safe temperatures. I communicate this back to the rest of the volunteers over our slack channel and I’m done. I also try to bring some food to donate as well such as fruits/veg, and unopened packages of staple foods, treats, and hygiene products.

Use My Local Library
I happen to live VERY CLOSE to the local branch of my library, so I go quite often. Not only does reading library books (as opposed to buying newly printed books just for you) save you some money, it also decreases the amount of energy and materials used to make books. Libraries also host many different community events, provide a 3rd space to be (not work or home) where you don’t have to pay to stay out of the rain or in the AC in the heat waves that are becoming more and more common in our climate crisis.

Reduce Food Waste By Taking & Sharing
This one is pretty specific to my situation, but I bet there is a way you could do something similar. We live next door to an Alcohol Recovery House — basically a bunch of guys living in community after they’ve been through detox and rehab, supporting each other in staying sober. One way that they are supported is a local (FANCY) grocery store donates them food that is near its best before date. Previously, they would take the stuff they like and want to eat, and leave the rest in a box in the alley for anyone to take. This is a great idea in theory, but a lot of it ended up going bad because it’s a) out in the elements, and b) much of the donated food needed to be prepared in a kitchen which many people in this area don’t have reliable access to.
A couple of months back, one of the guys asked if we would be interested in taking the leftover food so it didn’t just rot in the alley, and because we hate food waste we said yes. The thing is, we are thankfully not in the position of NEEDING free food, and often there is SO MUCH food it’s hard to know what to do with it all. So what I’ve started doing is preparing and sharing.
Some items, like vegetarian meat replacement products, or bread, I’ll freeze immediately. With fruits and veggies, I try to cook or otherwise preserve them (fermented jalapeños anyone?) and share them with friends and neighbours via social media and text chain. Anything that is already too far gone goes into my backyard compost for the garden. Helping connect food with people or animals (think pigs) who can eat it is a great way to prevent resources that have taken lots of time, energy, and water from being wasted.

Now, you might be wondering: How do some of these things help with the climate emergency we are living in?! And while they might not directly reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, that isn’t the only way to help make a change in this world. If we are going to find our way out of this crisis, we need to build a better, more just world that allows people everywhere to THRIVE within the resource budget of our planet (aka only using the amount of natural resources/year that the earth can regenerate within that year). We will do this by building more resilient communities, where people give what they can and take what they need (mutual aid), and we all work together to make sure everyone is safe and cared for.

For all the reasons listed above, I think it’s really important to find ways to connect with your community- especially if you are neurodivergent*, mentally ill*, or otherwise have a tendency to feel isolated and alone as your default mode. Personally, I find that having a purpose, either via work, volunteering, or even just having something to do (like washing dishes at a party) makes it a lot easier for me to connect, so give it a try!

xx

*I don’t use person-first language for myself, I use identity-first language. I do this because being autistic and bipolar inform who I am and aren’t just some side-show getting in the way of really being me. That being said, I know other people feel different and will respect other people’s choices when I speak to them. Please do the same with me. If you want to learn a bit more, go following some disabled activists on Twitter… but DO NOT jump in their DMs. And you can read this quick primer on why people use different types of language to describe themselves.