Although I do not live in BC, the recent flooding has felt tremendously close to home. I wonder if it has for others as well, if yet another severe weather event and the images flashing across news cycles garner more attention to climate change adaptation. Climate change is commonly viewed as a faraway issue, mostly for polar bears and small islands. Melting ice caps, tropical hurricanes and coral bleaching may easily be recognized as indicators of global warming- but have the BC floods, wildfires and heat domes all experienced in the last year been seen as local warming?
In a study conducted to analyze local and global framing and place attachment through visualizations of climate change, the findings did not reveal that local framing encouraged more action (Altinay, 2017). This result, although not academically comparable due to many parameters, contradicts several conversations I’ve had this week. As someone who is engaged in the study of climate change, and has been in the environmental realm for several years I have had more conversations with friends and family than ever before. Usually I am trying to make connections and share with my peers, but since the flooding it has felt quite the opposite with many asking me: Why the floods happened? Could they happen in Alberta? And what do we do to prepare for something like this? As I am no expert in hydrology my answers were probably vague at best, but it did open up a few conversations about adaptation closer to home and it suddenly felt like there was more of a connection that climate change isn’t just happening to polar bears, it is happening to us. Though these accounts there were a few mentions of the imagery on the news that hit home- people going down major roads in kayaks, collapsed infrastructure and animals being rescued. It feels like a small shift is occurring, maybe as this is one of several in a series of devastating natural disaster events this year, and it occupied familiar spaces, and even to friends of friends. Not to mention the global climate summit COP26 was going on in the background.
It makes me think of how important engaging all of our senses in climate communication can be, through audio, visual, storytelling, factual, data and even specific diction along with emotional and spiritual ties, different information will connect with different people. “It” is no longer just happening on the other side of the world, and being impeccable with how we talk about what is happening may be integral to eliciting climate action (Kimmerer, 2017). I am hopeful that in light of the hardship occurring as a result of the flooding that more attention will be diverted to proactive adaptation, and more conversations regarding local risks will be had among neighbours.
I am particularly fond of this quote from Mary Annaise Heglar and her pragmatic approach to coping with climate change.
“We don’t have to be pollyannish, or fatalistic. We can just be human. We can be messy, imperfect, contradictory, broken. We can recognize that “hopelessness” does not mean “helplessness.”” -Heglar (2019)
Theres about 6 inches of fresh white snow on my balcony today where my sit spot is. Anything that was visible before is covered in a blanket of white. Theres a magpie sized indentation in the middle of the untouched snow where the bird perhaps touched down for a moment and then promptly flew off. Like the bird I also am reluctant to sit in the snow. It feels like the snow came later this year than it has in the past, I’m tempted to research and confirm my suspicion but decided not to as I remind myself that this is the weather, and weather does not discern climate. The snow is soft and soothing looking, a momentary clean slate to mark the start of a new season, kind of like the first blank page in a book.
Theres an overwhelming amount of research, knowledge, theories and history in the practice of narrative storytelling. Particularly in regards to climate change, which is a relatively new protagonist- or antagonist (depending on your view) to write about. Sundin (2018) discusses the use of narrative storytelling as an additional tool to help translate scientific knowledge in a more relatable and memorable context, along with traditional communication forms. Michael Segal points out how the story of climate change is wide ranging- and often emotionally loaded in various regards, with many individuals emphasizing differing aspects of the conversation. And Hinyard & Kreuter (2007) pose that along with characters, plot, and conflict that resolution is a key component of narratives. Which makes me wonder how can we utilize narratives in climate action without knowing the end, the solution, the happily ever after? And if it is a happily ever after would this be solarpunk, or perhaps hopepunk (Hull, 2019).
“Both dystopian and utopian narratives have their own rationales and evidentiary support, and there’s no doubt that climate change presents a real and severe danger. But in the public realm, these types of narratives also have a tendency to be useless. They leave the public spectating a stalled debate between extremes and generate ample motivation to check out.” (Segal, 2019)
The Alberta Narratives Project presents a very tangible collection of examples that show how the story of climate change is perceived and communicated where I live. The project showcases how valuable framing climate conversations in an identifiable, appreciative and straightforward way is, and how technical, divisive snd “absolutes” are often received negatively (Corner et al., 2018). It appears there is a recognized balance that is more relatable, and challenge oriented that focus groups narrowed in on. This type of dialogue is very important in Alberta to help bridge the gap between oil and green energy, or economy vs environmentalism which is often the perceived debate when climate change comes up. Rather than focusing on doom or gloom, maybe it’s best to just read the room?
Sundin, A. Andersson, K., & Watt, R. (2018). Rethinking communication: integrating storytelling for increasing stakeholder engagement in environmental evidence synthesis. Environmental Evidence 7(6), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-018-0116-4
Elizabeth Wright shares an eye opening and hard hitting excerpt regarding accessibility in the climate movement, and questions how climate adaptation can be more inclusive to disabled people (Wright, 2020). She raises important points that as an able bodied person I had not considered before. I think about the sustainable behaviours I am able to do and feel good about, I took up cycling this summer and tracked over 1300 km before putting my bike away for the winter. I primarily eat a plant based diet. My group of friends and I regularly walk to one of three nearby farmers markets on the weekends. My kitchen drawers are nearly overflowing with metal straws, reusable bags, and other “eco goods” that I often receive as gifts because my friends and family know I value sustainability. And still I feel guilty about the many other things I don’t do, recognizing that I am lucky to have the ability and access to live a more sustainable lifestyle. I cant imagine the emotional and mental toil it would take if you were wanting to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and were simply unable to. Further, recognizing that the climate change movement can be inaccessible, and that natural disasters that come with a changing climate leave disabled individuals at a much higher risk, climate adaptation should be much more inclusive.
Reflecting from my sit spot, and thinking back to the CALS 501 Design Thinking Challenge and how it is just as important to think about who is in the room versus who is not. Understanding that in many ways the ability to participate in climate action is a privilege, and that finding ways to remove barriers to include those who want to participate could likely provide otherwise missing insight to the conversation. Rallo (2019) shares that “accessible design increases peoples quality of life” which makes me think about the things we take for granted day to day, and how pivotal well thought out design can potentially be to encourage those who can to adapt behaviours to increase sustainability, and to include those who have been excluded previously.
My balcony is no longer full of flowers and life, instead a thin layer of frost is detectable from the night before and my bike is hibernating under a tarp. Theres still a few dried up stalks of bee balm sticking out of one flower pot that I planted it to try to attract ruby throated hummingbirds but never ended up seeing any visit. My mind wanders to another type of hummingbird that is so specialized in its tropical niche that it only feeds from one type of flower- which in turn also relies on it solely for its pollination. This trait matching behaviour can be risky ecologically speaking, if one species goes the other is sure to follow. However each species is so perfectly adapted and physically designed to be compatible with the other they live harmoniously. So in terms of climate action, and accessibility is there a way to engineer or tailor accessible environmentalism towards people with disabilities who may not be able to participate in conventional ways?
Dr Ayanna Elizabeth Johnson often shares a strategy in the podcast “How to Save a Planet” that she co created which involves creating a three way Venn diagram to determine your individual best course of climate action for those who ask how to make a difference (Johnson & Blumberg, 2020-present) . The three sections are What are you good at? What brings you joy? What work is there that needs doing? This approach allows the individual to narrow down their individual potential and a starting point for how to be involved in the climate movement.
After learning about various climate communication strategies, theories, barriers to engagement and ultimately pondering what the best opportunities and modalities for communicating are- I am left marvelling at the power of storytelling. For this course, Communication for Climate Action we were tasked with analyzing, creating, and recreating climate content. In the first part of this assignment I dove into the concept of species loneliness presented by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which describes the apparent decline in ability of people to name and connect with the species around them (Kimmerer, 2014). This concept hit home for me and provoked me to think about whether being able to simply name species, especially as an environmental professional is integral to conservation and climate action work, and further what we can learn from Indigenous peoples and languages that recognize species beyond just a name. However interesting, I realized (through feedback) that this concept overarched the capacity I had for this assignment and for the remix of this communication piece in part two I should simplify the scope. This led me to think about how I could integrate little tidbits or fun facts I knew about Canadian species into an interactive piece of media.
In my undergraduate degree I took a course that involved memorizing the taxonomy of species across North America. There are hundreds of orders and families with 15-odd letters in each name such as “phoenicopteriformes” , the order in which flamingoes are categorized. Marginally tedious at the time, I now enjoy being able to classify and identify bird species and often get messages from friends and family with images of birds they see asking for identification. Before the course I hadn’t considered how many animals I “knew” but week after week I was surprised at all the new ones I was learning about and how many played important roles in their respective ecosystems. The names and orders of the families I was able to remember most quickly had interesting facts associated with them.
For the remix of my assignment, inspired from my own experience and the study I referenced in assignment 3 regarding findings of “wildlife quizzes’ ‘ done in the Netherlands I decided to make a quiz. Using the platform Google Forms and fair use google images, along with species specific information I have acquired in my lifetime I created a short quiz. For the scope of the assignment I decided to focus primarily on mammals, along with a couple birds. Initially I set up the quiz as a short answer format, but decided to change it to a multiple choice format to help aid participants in finding the correct answer. I included a mix of what I perceive to be more commonly known animals, such as polar bears and lesser known ones such as Pronghorns. My goal is to raise awareness of the amount of biodiversity we have in Canada, along with which animals are at risk. The format I chose was limiting as the educational tidbit (or small story) that is included with each animal is only shown at the end of the quiz with the results- rather than directly after an answer is submitted which may make the respondent less likely to read. Initially I had planned to include 20 species, including plants, animals and insects. This however became too big and I instead focused on just animals, mostly mammals that I thought were more outwardly interesting. With only several species in my quiz, there is opportunity to add many more, however I wanted the quiz to not be time consuming and leave a sense of wonderment as I had experienced in my previous course to imagine what other animals exist.
As the Hooykaas et al., (2019) study found that school aged children performed worse than the general population, my target audience for this quiz is youth in middle school. I have reached out to a few friends who are secondary teachers and asked if they would be interested in sharing my quiz with their students. To increase accessibility, I made an effort to refrain from fully scientific language so that the material could be understood by people not immersed in academia, while still using correct words to describe the animals presented. Additionally, the questions, answers and information could be transcribed to audio or printed off to reduce the need of a computer or smartphone. I wanted the quiz to be educational without being discouraging, hoping the participants would learn any animals they did not know about before either through the visual, or be compelled to learn more by the “fun facts” presented at the end. This concept could be easily reformatted to posters with an image and tidbits of information, or expanded to wildlife professionals, or hobby birders, hunters etc, who hold stories and information about Canadian wildlife and be able to add their own facts. Further, I have no doubt that there are many Indigenous stories and knowledge of local species that would add a more holistic understanding of the ecological importance of animals in Canada.
Climate action is a wide ranging archetype- and I believe that the intentionality that comes with learning names of species falls under conservation and climate change action despite it maybe not being outwardly actionable. With the plethora of knowledge and information that can be accessed online, it is amazing how much you can learn about animals without ever having to physically go find and potentially disturb that animal. My hope is that if I can share this quiz prototype with Jr high aged students it might encourage them to be curious about what other animals exist, and what niche they fill. A next step would be to ask participants to share an animal of their own choice, and an associated fact or story of that species. This may be a small step in comparison to Kimmerer’s (2017) idea of referring to animals and nature as “ki” or kin, but I see it as a realistic way to potentially encourage people, especially youth to consider more of the biodiversity around them and call them by their Western name rather than just disregard a brown bird flying by and instead by curious of how that bird might survive in winter or where it goes at night.
References
Hooykaas, M. J., Schilthuizen, M., Aten, C., Hemelaar, E. M., Albers, C. J., & Smeets, I. (2019). Identification skills in biodiversity professionals and laypeople: A gap in species literacy. Biological Conservation, 238, 108202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108202
“There was a time, not so long ago, when to be human meant knowing the names of the beings with whom we cohabitate the world. Knowing a name is the way humans build relationships. It is a sign of respect to call a being by its name, and a sign of disrespect to ignore it.”
(Kimmerer, 2014, pp. 20)
In “Returning the Gift” Robin Kimmerer discusses the value of gratitude in a consumption based society, and suggests that the deep recognition and appreciation of goods and services may lead to more sustainable human behaviour (Kimmerer, 2014). She presents the notion that in order to feel compelled to act in defence of nature, one must first develop a connection and appreciation for the natural environment Kimmerer, 2014). However, biodiversity rates are declining, along with the ability for children and the general population to identify species (Hooykaas, 2019). This phenomenon can be described as species loneliness, a philosophical term which describes a lack of recognition and desire to name non-human beings (Kimmerer, 2014). This paper will explore the topic of species loneliness and the disconnection with nature in an attempt to address the relative importance of being able to name species as a climate adaptation professional.
In a study done in the Netherlands, researchers presented a quiz of 27 local native species in order to assess species literacy and see how engaged the study group was with their local fauna in order to determine the potential of future conservation strategies. Children on average were able to correctly identify 35% of the species, exhibiting more familiarity to mammals rather than birds, or insects (Hooykaas, 2019). Unsurprisingly the test group of “nature professionals” scored the highest, with nearly 90% correct identification of the native species (Hooykaas, 2019). Two thirds of the general population group scored under 75%, with several common birds being misidentified (Hooykaas, 2019). There was also a relationship between those with a higher education level, and those who have a garden achieving higher test results (Hooykaas, 2019). This suggests that being regularly exposed to nature, and biodiversity results in a better understanding of species literacy. However overall, the study determined that there is relatively low species literacy and many people surveyed could be considered “species illiterate” and would most likely only be engaged in campaigns regarding flagship mammal species (Hooykaas, 2019). This corroborates with other similar studies done in other countries, and with Robin Kimmerer’s interpretation of species loneliness which denotes that fewer people are able correctly name plants and animals in their vicinity, further reducing the likelihood of having a deep connection with nature.
Species literacy in comparison to species loneliness presented in Kimmerer (2014), takes species identification a step further and involves knowing behavioural, adaptive, habitat, dietary and history of a species. Understanding species literacy is pertinent to understanding biodiversity and ecosystem risks (Hooykaas, 2019). Hooykaas (2019) suggest that increasing knowledge of biodiversity can help bridge conversations regarding increasing conservation. The results of the study were just based on the ability of the survey groups to correctly name the animal in a photo, so if a participant recognized a photo of a bird that they see everyday out their kitchen window- and felt connected to but never learnt the name they would not be able to receive a correct mark.
In an empirical exploration study of Indigenous storytelling and the use of stories in research, Metis Elder Tom McCallum shares a touching story of how a poplar tree gained a profound appreciation to him at a young age in a perilous situation (Iseke, 2013). After falling through some ice, a potentially fatal accident, he recalls feeling profound sadness that he would never see the trees again and miraculously survived when the ice suddenly formed a hole he was able to grab onto. After sharing this story in adulthood with a medicine woman who gathered that the tree, through the power of synchronicity saved his life and that he should repay and thank this tree through ceremonial practices (Iseke, 2013). Having such a visceral experience connecting with nature and furthermore the ability to reflect with members of your community on the experience must leave a deep impression.
Biophilia is the theory presented by famous American naturalist and biologist E.O. Wilson that humans have an innate disposition to be captivated by nature. This may now be exacerbated, or diminished for those living in urban areas, with less access to green spaces and wildlife. There are many languages which describe this urge to be in natural spaces. In German the word Waldeinsamkeit translates to the spiritual feeling of being in the forest alone. This concept has also been popular in Japan for many years with the practice of Shinrin-Yoku, which is referred to as forest bathing, or the act of engaging all of your senses and being cleansed through being in nature. There are many ways to appreciate nature that do not necessitate regurgitating latin names of species. Ever since I can remember my Mom has said “can you imagine living on a street with no trees?” almost on cue as we go past a new suburb development without mature trees. She may prefer certain types of trees rather than others, but living in close proximity to old trees has always been a necessity.
There are many ways that people do engage or express their views on nature which can be examined through Kellert’s nature-related value typology (below). Thinking about the level of value that people may place towards different areas of nature could help determine how to best protect them. For example, my Mom may simply enjoy the aesthetic value of the spruce trees in her yard, while Tom McCallum likely has a humanistic or moralistic tie to the trees in his life. Seemingly, both have an appreciation for and connect to these species and would not want to see them cut down.
Kellert (1995)
There is a significant gap between the primary school aged Dutch children, recognizing red foxes and hedgehogs and a Metis elder practicing in Sun dance ceremonies and rituals to demonstrate gratitude towards a poplar tree. However, recognizing that there are many ways to engage with nature and that the practice of naming the species around us may foster a deeper understanding and connection- but there are many ways to experience the natural world. I believe that there is utility in nomenclature, and as a professional it is important to have knowledge in this area as exemplified there are seemingly fewer people who possess the ability to identify species in a scientific manner. At the same time, the opportunity to connect with nature can happen in many forms and have value.
I have taken up bird watching in the last several years, and was astounded to learn about the plethora of birds living near me and all the adaptations they utilize to survive. Simply through paying attention to these creatures, and not being satisfied with thinking “it’s a bird” and rather having a desire to learn their names, it opened up a whole world that through my own delineation I had not been privy to. Knowing the names and becoming more species literate regarding native birds in my area has certainly made me feel more connected to nature, and have a stronger desire to protect them.
References
Hooykaas, M. J., Schilthuizen, M., Aten, C., Hemelaar, E. M., Albers, C. J., & Smeets, I. (2019). Identification skills in biodiversity professionals and laypeople: A gap in species literacy. Biological Conservation, 238, 108202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108202
Kellert, S. R., Wilson, E. O., McVay, S., Katcher, A., McCarthy, C., Wilkins, G., Ulrich, R., Shepard, P., Antoine, S. S., Diamond, J., Orians, G., Nelson, R., Gadgil, M., Margulis, L., & Lawrence, E. (1995). The Biophilia Hypothesis (Shearwater Book) (Reissue ed.) [E-book]. Shearwater.
Kimmerer, R. W. (2014). Returning the gift. Returning the Gift, 7(2), 18–24. https://www.humansandnature.org/returning-the-gift-article-177.php
“It is absolutely possible to prepare for the disasters already, terrifyingly, upon us while also doing our damnedest to quit baking more in. We can acknowledge the storm of emotions that comes with watching our world unravel, process those emotions, and pick ourselves up to protect what we can.” (Heglar, 2019)
Mary Annaise Heglar shares a compelling and real look into the climate crisis and provokes the thought that even before we “do” anything we need to assess why we are doing it. The climate is changing due to anthropogenic causes such as burning fossil fuels, agricultural practices and industrial processes. These sectors, along with others, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which have a long shelf life, and trap heat closer to earth resulting in higher temperatures. The continued destruction of nature in favour of capitalist ventures has resulted in the degradation of natural systems, which would traditionally help balance out greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide levels are higher than what they have ever been historically recorded (Masson-Delmotte et al., 2013). And Canada, particularly Northern Canada, is warming at a much faster rate than the global average (Bush et al., 2019).
I can’t help but feel that we are playing a chemistry experiment on the planet, and we are now nearing the last responsible moment to make critical decisions to remedy some of these actions.
There are solutions, and science to alleviate the forthcoming impacts of climate change, but they extend across industry, politics and borders. Earth systems are very complex, and scientists are often very precise. Therefore, although climate change is occurring without doubt, communicating the inherent complexity of the system in relatable terms is challenging. This has led to political, economic and social framing of the issue as perhaps less than unequivocal.
Learning about representative concentration pathways and shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) provided me with more context and clarity into the range of possible outcomes based on greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation and mitigation actions.The SSP’s iterative community designed process uses narratives to create projections, and relay those projections back to create climate communication. Population growth, GDP, urbanization, energy sources, land use and emissions increases with subsequent radiative forcing all contribute to climate projections (Riahi et al., 2017). The ability to combine multiple elements and create marker scenarios can expose policy makers and others to the range of plausible climate outcomes.
Scenarios may be an important tool to help translate the difference of a degree, or half a degree from the representative concentration pathway scenarios, and identify vulnerabilities resulting from level of fossil fuel intensity related to socioeconomic situations. While half a degree in the weather changing might not sound like a big deal, but if that half a degree in climate increases the likelihood of wildfires, drought or hurricanes may elicit more attention, action and adaptation.
It has been easy to get lost in the complexity, especially in this course with all of the projections, scenarios, modelling and technical jargon- the planet feels like a giant science experiment we are racing to get ahead of. Along with the intrinsic discomfort and daunting nature of the task, Heglar talks about “doomers” with a pessimistic outlook who add another layer of complexity to the challenge- people in the scope who aren’t even seemingly on your side (Heglar, 2019). As well as the population who want to help, but may be misguided.
Heglar, M., A. (2019, September 12). Home is always worth it. Medium. https://medium.com/@maryheglar/home-is-always-worth-it-d2821634dcd9
Masson-Delmotte, V., M. Schulz, A. Abe-Ouchi, J. Beer, A. Ganopolski, J.F. González Rouco, E. Jansen, K. Lambeck, J. Luterbacher, T. Naish, T. Osborn, B. Otto-Bliesner, T. Quinn, R. Ramesh, M. Rojas, X. Shao and A. Timmermann, (2013). Information from Paleoclimate Archives. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J.
Riahi, K., van Vuuren, D. P., Kriegler, E., Edmonds, J., O’neill, B. C., Fujimori, S., Bauer, N., Calvin, K., … Tavoni, M. (2017). The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and their energy, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions implications: An overview. Global environmental change, 42, 153-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.05.009
