Facing the Climate Emergency
How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth
by Margaret Klein Salamon
Salamon starts with an impressive call to arms. She invokes the hero’s journey and states quite clearly how much the climate crisis matters and that you have a calling in life. It seems a bit dramatic at first, but in light of the global climate crisis, she’s probably right.
Then there’s a large section about the emotions people experience when facing the facts about climate change. Salamon goes on to name some of the auto-defense tactics people use to feel okay despite the increasingly obvious problem we all face.
While this part of the book doesn’t speak to me personally. The need to take care of oneself when confronting a seemingly hopeless challenge makes sense.
Salamon then pulls upon a traumatic situation in her own life – when her first boyfriend began having psychotic episodes – and makes parallels with the environmental disaster we are heirs to. This allows the reader to understand better Salamon’s own trajectory and the events that have shaped her life.
Living through these crushing moments and focusing on them later while writing her dissertation allowed Salamon to uncover certain patterns of behavior in those facing crisis. She notes particularly feelings of isolation and apartness, whether or not these feelings are grounded in reality.
The same tools one can use to get help in the world of people can be used to confront climate change – namely reaching out, and taking care of oneself.
Salamon follows this deep emotional section with a narrative about emergency mobilization in the face of a dire threat. She would like to see the world mobilize against climate change in the same way that America mobilized against the axis powers in WWII. Unfortunately, given the current political leadership, Salamon instead suggests that those concerned with the environment adapt the tactics of direct action used by ACT UP during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
She asks why we aren’t treating the emergency like we would if our house were on fire.
The end of Facing the Climate Emergency suggests ways to get involved in fighting for the environment. Salamon understands everyone’s position is different and she offers roles for people everywhere along the spectrum of engagement.
I’m already tempted by the arguments of the environmental movement – so this book is falling on someone already disposed to increase his involvement. I’m not sure what I’ll do yet in terms of action but surely I’ll start with some of Salamon’s suggestions.
Worth a read and some reflection afterward!
Did you read Facing the Climate Emergency? If so, what did you think? Please leave a comment below.