Guelph Climate Action Network and Guelph/Wellington Coalition for Social Justice are calling for ideas to further community climate action. For some time now, GCAN and GWCSJ community groups have been puzzling over what we can do to centre climate change action into everyday conversation. Once just a conversation, this has now blossomed into an exciting Community Climate Action Plan. Climate science is important, but to reach people we need to appeal to their hearts, and this is what “art” can do.
We would like to partner with local artists who centre climate change in their art? Using art, be it visual art, theatre, dance, prose, poetry, music, spoken word, lead the onlooker to explore climate change and help us face and process the deep and profound feelings we're all facing. We need you!
Join us in the community at our events as we come together to celebrate, mourn, share, explore and together do our part to create a path to a sustainable future. We will be hosting two events which will be perfect venues for sharing:
the Earth Day Gathering – Saturday, April 20 @ Market Square/City Hall – 12 – 1pm and a Community Climate Action Forum – Saturday, May 4 @ the Italian Canadian Club.
Thinking about climate change and taking action feels overwhelming for most of us. It’s hard to know where to begin. For this reason GCAN and GWCSJ have partnered to offer a four pronged plan.
See below for the full Community Climate Action Plan- 2024.
If you are an artist or creative with any ideas please contact Karen Rathwel:
519-362-7615
[email protected]
Community Climate Action Plan-2024
A) Community Climate Survey 2024 – Launching March 2nd. Let’s find out how people in our
community are thinking/feeling about climate change and what actions are we already taking to reduce our personal emissions? How are people staying informed? Who do they feel has the most responsibility? The survey consists of 11 questions and will take approximately 3 minutes to complete. The results will be shared at the Community Climate Forum
B) Earth Day Event – Saturday, April 20 – Noon- 1pm Market Square/Guelph City Hall
All ages are invited to join this moment of appreciation and pledging to protect our planet. There will be an interesting lineup from both the arts and the activist community. In addition, there will be a Kids Table and a Community Table brimming with ideas for personal actions and a terrific reading list. On display and ready for climate challenges will be a personal pledge frame so attendees can commit to one new action and write it down to seal the commitment. We want to create a feeling of community empowerment to take action, hope, and celebration for the earth. We also acknowledge that although individual actions are needed, facing climate change individually will not get us where we need to be. There needs to be systematic change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from every sector of society. Learn what you can do to push for bigger change in our City and Province.
C) Community Climate Forum – Saturday, May 4 – 1-4pm
Join other concerned citizens ready to hear the straight goods on climate concerns and also get ready to take part in solutions. This event will explore the history behind our City wide climate initiatives, where we are now, and where we need to get to by 2030. The event will be centered on taking actions and building individual climate networks. Attendees are encouraged to join a Carbon Conversation group to explore moving climate conversations into their own circles, in an engaging, non-judgmental way. Sometimes thinking about climate action can be overwhelming, but by building a network of others who are ready to make this journey, next steps are easier to explore.
D) Carbon Conversations – Facilitators will lead a small group in climate conversations. Facing climate grief/ecoanxiety head on will be central to the discussions. Learning the best way to deal with these feelings is by taking action is also key. This is an opportunity to build more lasting relationships and have deeper conversations. It is our intention that attendees will gain skills and confidence to then have climate conversations with friends and family. During this time, we will also learn about measuring personal Carbon Footprints and consider taking a deeper dive into the “Take the Jump” initiative.
For further information please feel free to contact:
Karen Rathwell – 519-362-7615
[email protected]
