Looking back
In the chapter of Citizens' Climate that I'm a part of one of our group leaders and original founders is stepping down to be a regular volunteer. As part of recognizing the over 10 years of work she's put into the chapter I was going back and gathering up photos of her to share at our next meeting. The whole exercise almost choked me up.
First, how do you thank someone who helped to change the whole course of your life? Instead of enjoying a well-earned retirement, traveling the world with her husband as was her original plan, she and that core set of volunteers were diligently and tirelessly battling the giant, daunting, seemingly-intractable problem of climate change before it was ever on my radar.
When the problem did land on my radar it did so in a devastating way. The thing I most remember was both the feeling of utter helplessness, as well as an almost maddening feeling of isolation. Like, why was no one talking about the issue? Why was no one working on it? Finding this local chapter, realizing that, in fact, people were very much working on the problem was, by itself, a big deal. And not only were people working on it, but people who I now realize embody what I admire most about CCL. These are well-informed, diligent, persistent, eminently competent people. Thinking back on it, I now wonder if just being there for people who are concerned about a problem and need a community and sense of agency is as important as this or that legislative win.
It's hard enough taking the plunge and joining a group by itself, but I have endless respect for someone like her who launched a group from the ground up in a place where not much is going on. A big lesson for me over these past years is just what an undertaking it is to build up a grassroots movement. Polling tells us that, at this point, most people are concerned about climate change. Activating people, however, is another thing entirely (it turns out that inertia is a real thing). I've felt that as a mid-sized chapter but, again, imagine the moment when you're starting out–just one or two people. To think that, thanks to her, we've grown into the group we are now, a group to contend with–a group that engages with every local candidate, every town hall, pretty much every climate-related public hearing, and is regularly published in local papers is incredible.
Another thing that looking back on those pictures made me realize is just how freaking long I've been at this. I looked young back then, and have done a lot of crazy things I never thought I'd do! it's very nostalgic too, I see college students we used to work closely with, people who were really active and moved away or who just fell off for whatever reason. What a strange wild journey this has been.
