Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment April 15, 2007

CLIMATE CHANGE, DESPAIR & EMPOWERMENT
with John Seed*,
Founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in
Australia www.rainforestinfo.org.au
and
Co-author of “Thinking Like a Mountain: Toward a council of all
beings”
Sunday, Apr i l 15t h a t t h e Coral Gables
C o n g r e g a t i o n a l C h u r c h a t 7 P M
Presented by Coral Gables Congregational Church, Earth Learning, and Temple Israel
Climate change is the most serious issue facing humankind. The scientific community has released
alarming evidence over the past 12 months with predicted increases in temperatures, sea level rises and the
increase in frequency and intensity of storms.
These multi‐media presentations will help communities to understand our role in a “climate changed”
world and empower us with a renewed sense of commitment to the actions required to address global
warming.
The talks aim to:
• Catalyze, invigorate and support a dynamic and strong climate change movement
• Address hopelessness, apathy and despair
• Unveil the false and "business as usual" solutions such as nuclear power and "clean" coal
• Raise awareness and inspire political action towards the ‘real’ solutions.
• Provide resources for the many things that we can all do to turn the situation around.
The evening will include:
• A discussion on how the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, despair, what can one person do
anyway, its too late etc. can be the fuel for inspiration and empowerment
• A look at the real solutions including changing consumption habits, the need to conserve natural
systems that regulate climate, the relocalization of food, and support for renewables
• A discussion on the importance of direct democracy, grassroots involvement and movement
building and how each of us now needs to awaken those around us to the urgency of
understanding and action.
• Where no climate study/action group currently exists, the group will be invited to form one there
and then.
*John Seed is founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia. Since 1979 he has been
involved in direct actions that have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests. In 1984 he helped initiate
the US Rainforest Action Network which grew out of the first of his many US road shows. In 1987 he co‐produced a
television documentary for Australian national television about the struggle for the rainforests. He has been
referred to as "the town crier for the global village". He has written and lectured extensively on deep ecology and
has conducted Councils of All Beings and other re‐Earth‐ing workshops in Australia, North America, Japan, India,
Thailand and Eastern and Western Europe for over 15 years.
This event is brought to you by Earth Learning (www.earth-learning.org) a community-based,
ecological awareness organization that is a catalyst for addressing environmental issues and
developing effective programs to ensure a sustainable future for South Florida. Earth Learning offers
inhabitants, individually and collectively, viable ways for envisioning and adopting models that are
soundly in alignment with Earth’s economy.

Official Website: http://www.earth-learning.org/page.aspx