Join our conversation, which includes Chris Bowsera longtime river educator who directs the eel count, working with many schools and organizations up and down the mighty Hudson and Nicole Friedman world fish migration foundationit is working to restore river dynamics and ecosystems everywhere.
Affected network paths
The key to turning incremental and individual action into progress is building networks—whether along rivers like Project Eel, or using digital connections to connect people with common interests, skills and geographic locations to reduce risk and promote prosperity.
A good example in art is small island, big song — 100 musicians, filmmakers and other creators from 16 islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, starting in 2015, digitally by Taiwanese producer Chen Baobao and Australian music producer and filmmaker Tim Cole Get in touch. They have produced incredible music and videos from a distance, conveying the importance of maintaining cultural diversity and rights even while pursuing ocean conservation and climate action.
I am honored to host what session to maintain Joined them in March and then had a stage conversation ahead of their performance at the World Conservatory in New York City.It was exciting to see them on this US tour, which marked the For the first time they played together on a stage. Here is our conversation:
If you happen to be near Harrisonburg, Virginia, You can see them tonight at James Madison University! If you can’t, their YouTube channel is an inspiring option.
Facing a monster of scale?become smaller
Nancy Holt running New York Sciencean initiative that connects the policy and scientific communities in pursuit of a more sustainable New York City, writes daily news column The tension that plagued many (you know) people I know neatly described last fall:
“Somehow we seem to be either expected to fix everything or Did not do anything, There is no middle. Instead, if everyone follows common parenting principles, do your best, we might get people involved on this issue.At present, many people just feel Alienated and overwhelmed Depending on the scope of the problem – it is the emotions that lead to inaction. “
Of course, Holt is demonstrating a solution that uses her skills as a connector to build her network.
in a New York Times column published Just a few weeks ago, cultural critic and sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom nicely summed up the advice she got from marine scientists and climate activists AYANA Elizabeth Johnson On how to find motivation to tackle broad challenges like global climate disruption:
“You don’t have to do something that solves all your problems. Pick one thing. Will you be a recycling person? Will you be a water person? Will you protect beavers? Stuff. Partial Picking Your The thing is to believe that your fellow human beings, your neighbors on this planet, will pick one thing too, and together we will pick enough things to start changing. “
Some say the smallest things don’t count
Then say big things don’t matter
for any answer
man not resting or breathing
No time for this clever frustration
I say everyone, everyone is a powerhouse.
We met on the Hudson River waterfront around the time her album was released, and she asked me what I was doing “today and every day” to build a better world. My answer is below. What is yours! ?
#today and every day – What are you doing today and every day?
Music Video: https://t.co/28TZTmcqVw
Andrew @Revkin – Author and environmental reporter pic.twitter.com/67cPqUwJcz– Dar Williams (@DarWilliamsTeam) September 8, 2021
In defense of bottom-up incrementalism, Williams offers these valuable ideas—first in the long version, then in the compact manifesto:
“First of all, those who shake their heads at incrementalists are absolutely right about where big changes are going to happen. This can be very frustrating. But, environmentalists, please tell me what to do to influence systemic change. The advice goes beyond signing petitions, donating money, creating small local legislation, and supporting Conservation Coalition high-scoring candidates, my friends and I have done it, and we will.
“The general tone of the environmental movement is that we don’t have enough anger to take major action, but waving my pitchfork into town hall only invites ridicule and a lot of money for misleading science and fear-mongering. Give me a blueprint of what collective action should look like.
“I will also discuss conservation, efficiency, renewable energy and other low-impact strategies in my personal life because:
“Consumer habits not only solve the problem of consumption, but also change the market. Capitalism pretends to have a conscience, a logic, and a voice, but it really just smells one thing, and that is money.
“Consumers are showing other consumers new ways of doing things, like driving electric cars, using geothermal heating and cooling, flying on Amtrak instead of planes, and growing gardens.
“Consumers can have non-confrontational conversations with other consumers about the environment and closed-loop living, which helps build what sociologists call ‘high social trust’ and what I call ‘positive proximity’. Support for change, we must build social capital that increases green political capital.”
Here’s Dar Williams’ summary:
“I believe in the power of incrementalism as a model for consumers to live sustainably, a way to transform markets, a way to normalize sustainable living. Environmentalists are understandably frustrated with the incrementalism of the incrementalist approach, But instead of giving us a blueprint for collective action, they tell us how bad it is out there. I suggest they continue to connect with numerous environmental groups and encourage them to build coalitions, come up with more concerted action and a clearer blueprint.
“Gary Toth, from @placemakersguild , is part of a coalition of urban planners, planners, designers and visionaries who plan cities based on how people actually walk, live and interact. Until the 1960s, it was fashionable to plan cities “from above”, actually from a plane or a drawing board.
“If you’re wondering why mid-sized towns are becoming increasingly popular, green and livable, thank you Jan Gehl, Jeff Speck, Richard Florida, Melody Warnick and Gary Toth, among others.”
