Workshop Goals

By the end of the workshop, you will…

• Understand the basics of the science of climate including:
  • How we know the climate is warming
  • How we know it’s because of us
  • What the impacts of climate change may be
• Be able to talk about climate change and the ways it shows up in our daily lives and communities
• Know ways we can address climate change
• Feel more prepared to take action yourself

 

Materials

• This workshop has a lot of handouts, many of which are just support materials if people want to use them for later. We encourage use of a binder to help keep track of all of them.
• Generally you’ll need newsprint, markers, tape, paper, pens.
• Then study each tool ahead of time to track additional needed materials.
• As with all of the materials, but especially given this content, we encourage using 100% post-consumer recycled/reused materials wherever possible.

HANDOUT FOLDER

 

Assumed hours

This workshop is designed around a 9am start time and a 5pm end time with a 1.5 hour lunch in between.

 

Number of participants

This workshop will handle up to 50 participants, but it was designed for 20-25 participants.

 

For additional reading and learning

Much of these material were adapted from 350’s excellent Training website. On that site they also offer self-directed courses on climate change, including on organising, social movements, Having Climate Change Conversations, and Climate Science 101.

Overall Agenda

Click an activity title to jump to the details.

Day 1

9am start

 

5’	Land acknowledgement
30’	Intros
20’	Mingle
15’	Agenda & Goals
30’	Spectrum
15’	BREAK
40’	Everyday Impacts of Climate Change
55’	I am the Centre…

 

== 12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH ==

 

15’	Game: snowball
45’	It’s warming: The Carbon Dioxide game
30’	It’s us: Scientific Scavenger Hunt: the temperature increase whodunnit
15’	BREAK
5’	We’re sure: 97% of scientist agree
25’	Exxon knew what to do
40’	Parallel line role play: How fossil fuels are heating up our planet
5’	Closing circle: Lift the sky together

 

End at 5pm

Day 2

 

9am start

 

25’	Climate Impact Altar
5’	Butterfly hug
80’	It’s bad: Climate impact stations
20’	Feedback loops
15’	BREAK
5’	Mingle
60’	Having Climate Change Conversations

 

== 12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH ==

 

15’	Radio DJ
75’	We can fix it: Every thing that can be done to stop climate change
15’	BREAK
30’	Pretend you own a pipeline
35’	How can I tell if it’s a bad/good solution?
10’	Closing circles

 

End at 5pm

 

Day 3

 

9am start

 

5’	Strategy Stretch
15’	Check-in with small groups and ask: “What are you learning so far?”
60’	Team Types
15’	BREAK
45’	Intro to local campaign (to be customised)
55’	Maximise/minimise: getting others active on climate change

 

== 12:15pm-1:45pm LUNCH ==

 

15’	Game
45’	Action Madlibs
20’	Personal letter of commitment: what do I want to do
15’	BREAK
45’	Parallel line role-play: Recruiting someone to join me with what I want to do
25’	Taking apart the altar: sharing my commitment
30’	Next steps, logistics, closing

 

End at 5pm

 

 

Detailed Agenda

Day 1

 

Land acknowledgment

Time it takes to lead this tool: 10 minutes

 

Often, territory acknowledgements are concise, along the lines of: “I want to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of [nation names].” Some people may also mention the name of a local treaty. Some may learn the language and speak a few words in it.

 

If you are not sure how to pronounce a nation’s name, there are a number of ways to learn, including:

 

• Respectfully asking someone from that nation or from a local organisation such as a Friendship Center or Indigenous Student Center;
• Check the nation’s website, they may have a phonetic pronunciation on their “About” page, an audio-recording of their name, or videos that include people saying the nation’s name; or
• Call the nation after hours and listen to their answering machine recording.

 

While a brief acknowledgement may work for some groups, others wish to add more intention and detail to acknowledgements. To thoughtfully prepare an in-depth acknowledgement requires time and care. You may find it helpful to reflect on and research questions such as:

 

• Why is this acknowledgement happening?
• How does this acknowledgement relate to the event or work you are doing?
• What is the history of this territory? What are the impacts of colonialism here?
• What is your relationship to this territory? How did you come to be here?
• What intentions do you have to disrupt and dismantle colonialism beyond this territory acknowledgement?

 

From: https://native-land.ca/resources/territory-acknowledgement/

 

Because this workshop is on climate change — which is an outgrowth of colonialism — you could also talk briefly about how these are wedded together. Part of our quest is reconnecting to each other, Earth, and our big natural family around us.

 

 

Intros

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

Materials needed: Timer

 

Invite everyone to find someone they don’t know. With their partner, get to know each other for 5 minutes (about 2 minutes each) in preparation to introduce their partner to the full group. Make sure to ask their partner: “Is there anything you’d like the group to know about you?”

 

Back in the full group, give each person up to one minute (timed), to introduce their partner to the group.

Mingle

Time it takes to lead this tool: 20 minutes

Materials needed: Timer, Bell (optional)

 

Invite participants to stand up as they are able. Moving around the room, they will pair up with someone for a brief discussion of the prompt.  Each person gets a turn answering the prompt. After they answer, they can keep moving to meet as many people as they can. Stop everyone after a few minutes (using a timer with an alarm or a bell can help get everyone’s attention), and offer the new prompt. Repeat the process.

 

Mingle prompts:

• One good thing I’ve been up to during the last four months…
• One way climate change matters to me…

Agenda & Goals

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15 minutes

Materials needed: newsprint & markers

Prep: Write the workshop goals and agenda on newsprint

 

Using newsprint or a projected slide, show the goals and agenda for the workshop.  Check for any clarifying questions.

 

Check in on accessibility needs and any logistics related to the workshop location.

 

Workshop Goals:

By the end of the workshop, you will…

• Understand the basics of the science of climate including:
  • How we know the climate is warming
  • How we know it’s because of us
  • What the impacts of climate change may be
• Be able to talk about climate change and the ways it shows up in our daily lives and communities
• Know ways we can address climate change
• Feel more prepared to take action yourself

 

Agenda:

Day 1

 

9am start

Introductions and setting the stage

The impact of climate change (climate impacts)

12:30-2:00 lunch

It’s warming: The Carbon Dioxide game

It’s us: Scientific Scavenger Hunt: a whodunnit search

How fossil fuels are heating up our planet

End at 5pm

 

Day 2

 

9am start

Climate Impact Altar

It’s bad: Climate impact stations

Having Climate Change Conversations

12:30-2:00 lunch

We can fix it: What can be done to stop climate change

How can I tell if it’s a bad/good solution?

End at 5pm

 

Day 3

 

9am start

[Intro to local campaigns]

Getting others active on climate change

12:30pm-2:00pm lunch

Personal commitments

Recruiting someone to join me with what I want to do

Next steps, logistics, closing

End at 5pm

 

Point out that on Day 2 people should bring an object symbolising something they might lose to climate change.

Spectrum

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

Materials needed: Newsprint, markers, Handout: Executive Study on Climate Change Study

Prep: Write stats on newsprint (but keep covered/hidden), (Optional) post signs saying “Strongly Agree” and “Strongly Disagree” at either end of the room

 

Invite everyone to come to an area of the room where they can move around.  Explain that in this activity we are going to get a sense of what the people around us are thinking and experiencing as relates to climate change.  There are no right or wrong answers.

 

Explain that you will make a statement and if they Strongly Agree with the statement they should be on one end of the room (point) and if they Strongly Disagree they should be on the other end of the room (point).  If they are somewhere else along the spectrum, they should be there.

 

Note accessibility adaptation: this is not a speed activity, so it’s fine if people need to move slowly. A participant with extremely limited mobility may share where they are on the spectrum and others move in relation to them or you can have people use an object as a “stand-in” for where they are.

 

Share each of the prompts below in turn.  After each one, invite some participants to share about why they are where they are on the spectrum, like an interview. Get a range of viewpoints and voices. You can also invite the group to share what they are noticing about where people are along the spectrum.

 

A note on this design: If there are people who are sceptical about climate change, give them space to voice their position. The facilitators can acknowledge this tension if it arises, without needing to delve into it here.

 

 

Spectrum prompts:

• Most of the people I know know what climate change is…
• Most of the people I know have experienced climate change…
• Most of the people I know know that they’ve experienced climate change…

 

If you have time: you can add:

• Most of the people I know understand the role of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases…

 

To close this session, explain: “A few years ago a large poll was conducted. It had some big conclusions.” Show these on newsprint:

 

• 79% of Canadians are concerned about the impacts of climate change;
• 85% of Canadians are certain that climate change is happening;
• Depending on how it’s asked, 46% to 73% of Canadians indicated they think climate change is caused mostly by human activity;
• 48% of Canadians identify greenhouse gases as the primary culprit of climate change.

 

Handout: Executive Study on Climate Change Study

 

​​These polling results continue to hold across the country. Climate change remains a major issue for Canadians (and as voters) — though translating it to political action is still difficult.

 

Close the session explaining that we’ll spend today shoring up our knowledge about climate change and the role of greenhouse gases and the role of human activity.

Break

Time: 15 minutes

Everyday Impacts of Climate Change

Time it takes to lead this tool: 45 minutes

Materials needed: Photos: Everyday Impacts of Climate Change and Handout: Everyday Climate Change Impacts

 

Get people into small groups. Give each group a copy of the photos.

 

Ask each group to list how many different things they see impacted by climate change in their picture. How does climate change impact them and how?

 

Then have everyone come back to the full group and share one thing they saw that they think others might not have seen. Look for things that surprised/was new to them.

 

Pass out handout about the impacts of climate change.

 

Close by asking people: “Which of these impacts will affect you back at home — or are you already seeing?”

I am the Centre…

Time it takes to lead this tool: 55 minutes

Materials needed: Space to move around, internet access, one mobile device or computer with internet access per small group

 

Have participants move to a large, clear floor space. Physically place yourself in the centre of the room and declare, “Where I am standing is” – and finish with the location of the training.  Explain that the ground in the room is something like a map of Canada – you might have the group point out the directions (North/South/East/West). (If the group all comes from a similar place, you can also shrink the size to a region/city.)

 

Tell participants their task is to position themselves around the room based on where they are from. Don’t guide participants too much, since part of the opportunity is for the group to turn to each other as resources.

 

After participants have arranged themselves, give everyone a chance to give their name and where they are coming from. Help the group notice any large clumps or small clumps, great time to acknowledge and welcome differences.

 

Now task the group with forming smaller groups of 4-5 people who are closer to each other on your “map”.

 

First, have them come up with one thing that’s great about their region that others might not know. Give people about 5 minutes for this. With enthusiasm, share these in the large group — great to have people be playful with each other.

 

Ask each group to get out one computer or mobile device and look up their hometowns at climatedata.ca, then share about the prompts below.

 

Small group discussion prompts:

• How much might temperatures rise in your region?
• And why does that matter for you if that happens?
• Describe at least one way that increase matters to you.

 

Have people come back to the large groups and ask how that was for people. Get some reactions and then ask: “What’s one thing you learned from this data?”

 12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH

 

Game: Snowball

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15 minutes

Materials needed: Pieces of paper (preferably used paper) and a sense of humour

 

Ask people to write down on a piece of paper either one worry they have about climate change or one question they have about climate change. They can write as many down as they can think of.

 

Give people about 5 minutes to write several down. Really encourage people to write several — and use one piece of paper for each question or worry.

 

Playfully, invite people to crumple their piece of papers into a snowball. Then, gleefully, announce: “Snowball fight!”

 

Have people throw the snowballs at each other. Encourage people to run and scream and have fun with it.

 

When it’s done, invite people to grab a few pieces of paper and share a few out loud. Try to collect the pieces of paper — that’s good data if you need to add/remove/emphasise anything for the future sessions. (And, if necessary, explain that you may not be able to satisfy all the questions — but will try.)

 

Transition to the next section:

Put up an image like this and say: “We’re going to follow a basic flow for the next period of the session of 5 scientific understandings about climate change. It’s warming. It’s us. We’re sure. It’s bad. We can fix it. Let’s dive in!”

 

 

The Carbon Dioxide Game

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 45 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Action Cards and Handout: Greenhouse Effect and Handout: Greenhouse Gases and Handout: Greenhouse emissions and rope/some way to make two concentric circles

Prep: Draw two concentric circles on the ground, a little over ½ metre (2 feet) in diameter, and a larger one about 5 metres (16 feet) in diameter. The smaller circle represents the Earth and the larger one represents Earth’s atmosphere. (You can also use rope or tape to mark the circles.)

Have people look at the Handout: Greenhouse Effect. Give people a chance to review the handout briefly and say: “We’re going to get a demonstration of this.” Then bring them to the area where the circles are marked on the floor.

 

Explain:

• The circle in the centre is the Earth.
• The larger one is the Earth’s atmosphere.
• This is a very simplified model, obviously.
• Two volunteers will be what we call a “greenhouse gas” like CO2.
• Everyone able to move around will be sunbeams from the sun. Your goal is to touch the inside of the Earth (with a foot/toe/finger/etc) and then return to outer space. If you get touched, you have to stay in the atmosphere.

 

The game is played in several rounds. For round one, get two participants to be CO2e molecules, and place them anywhere in the Earth’s “atmosphere.” Once they are in the atmosphere they cannot move their feet. The rest of the people are sunbeams representing energy from the sun.

 

(NOTE: CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent, is a standard unit for measuring carbon footprints. The idea is to express the impact of each different greenhouse gas in terms of the amount of CO2 that would create the same amount of warming. This is a way of including other greenhouse gases.)

 

The object of the game is for the sunbeams to enter the atmosphere, tag the Earth (by touching the inner circle with a foot or hand) and then escape the atmosphere without getting tagged by a CO2e molecule. Sunbeams who are tagged must stay standing still in the atmosphere. Those who avoid being tagged bounce back out of the atmosphere into space.

 

Each round lasts approximately 30 seconds and during that time the sunbeams try to tag the Earth only once. This simulation recreates the greenhouse effect: energy from the sun is trapped as heat by CO2e and other gases and particles in the atmosphere.

 

After the first round, have the escaped sunbeams form a circle around the atmosphere to check how much energy has been trapped. Discuss how this may affect the temperature of the planet.

 

Explain that a certain amount of CO2e is necessary to keep the planet consistently warm enough to support life. During the first round, most of the energy will have escaped the atmosphere because CO2e levels are low. Before continuing the game, clear all the trapped sunbeams out of the atmosphere.

 

For the second round, increase the number of CO2e molecules in the atmosphere. Do this by reaching into the “What did humans do?” bag and pulling out an action card (for the next 2 rounds, include only cards that add CO2e to the atmosphere). After a participant reads the card, increase the number of CO2e molecules in the game (dictated by card) and play again.

 

For the third and subsequent rounds, put all of the action cards in the bag so that CO2e levels will go up or down depending on which card is drawn. Discuss what happens each time. The game should demonstrate that when you increase the amount of CO2e, more heat gets trapped (illustrated by the people who are sunbeams standing in the atmosphere) and the Earth warms up.

 

It’s important to note: these actions are not “proportional.” i.e. the amount of CO2e added is not being numerically represented here precisely. But there is a point to pull out during the discussion: changes we make as individuals impact the amount of CO2e in the atmosphere but not nearly at the rate of structural changes, like closing power plants.

 

Wrap-up: Review how energy from the sun gets trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Discuss how human actions, particularly burning fossil fuels, can make the greenhouse effect more extreme by putting more CO2e into the atmosphere.

 

Close by handing out: Handout: Greenhouse Gases and Handout: Greenhouse emissions

 

 

350.org adapted this tool from The Carbon Dioxide Game https://greenteacher.com/the-carbon-dioxide-game/. The game was originally written by Sashi Kaufman and developed by staff members at The Ecology School (formerly the Ferry Beach Ecology School) in Maine, USA

 

Scientific Scavenger Hunt: the temperature increase whodunnit

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Temperature increase – search and Handout: Temperature increase – search 2 and Handout: Temperature increase – answers and Handout: The Worst GHG Emitters in Canada and newsprint with markers

 

Get people into new teams of 5 people they haven’t worked with yet. Excitedly announce: “I’d like you to now put on your hat as a scientist! You’re now honorary Climate Scientists!”

 

Have teams come up with a team name for themselves.

 

While they are working (if not earlier), have one facilitator hide copies of “Handout: Temperature increase – search 2” (with unlabelled graphs) somewhere in the training space. Each team should have their own stapled copy. (Have a few extras just in case.)

 

Have each team share their name — with energy.

 

Explain: “As a team of researchers you’ve been given an unusual assignment. Scientists have been collecting data since 1880 just for you. One team was tracking data about temperature increases — and they have that data for you. They made a handout for you. …but the other teams have lost their data! It’s somewhere in this room. And they lost their labels — so you need to work with your team to figure out which data goes with which charts.”

 

Pass out the Handout: Temperature increase – search. Ask for any clarification questions on the task.

 

Explain the team will have 10 minutes to do this — go!

 

After 10’ or when groups have come up with their answers, hand them the Handout: Temperature increase – answers and give each team a few minutes to look at where they were right.

 

Bring the group back (they can take off their scientist hat if they wish) and debrief in the large group. Ask what surprised them. Affirm the validity of the data.

 

(The data come from researchers who study the Earth’s climate and create models to test their assumptions about the causes and trajectory of global warming. Around the world there are 28 or so research groups in more than a dozen countries who have written 61 climate models. Each takes a slightly different approach to the elements of the climate system, such as ice, oceans, or atmospheric chemistry. The computer model that generated the results for this graphic is called “ModelE2,” and was created by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), which has been a leader in climate projections for a generation. ModelE2 contains something on the order of 500,000 lines of code, and is run on a supercomputer at the NASA Center for Climate Simulation in Greenbelt, Maryland. GISS produced the results shown here in 2012, as part of its contribution to an international climate-science research initiative called the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Five. Initial results from Phase-5 were used in the 2013 scientific tome published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. There are more than 30 different kinds of experiments included in Phase-5 research. Phase-5 calls for a suite of “historical” experiments. Research groups were asked to see how well they could reproduce what’s known about the climate from 1850-2005. They were also asked to estimate how the various climate factors—or “forcings”—contribute to those temperatures. That’s why this graphic stops in 2005, even though the GISS observed temperature data is up-to-date. The years 2005-2012 were not a part of the Phase-5 “historical” experiment.)

 

Announce with excitement: “Looks like the PhDs in this room have solved the cause! You’re now Climatologists! You showed that greenhouse gases are causing climate change. You are now super scientists! Congrats.”

 

Laugh a moment with them. (You can play even further with this by playing Pomp and Circumstance.)

 

Add: “After amazing scientists put this together, other scientists began studying where human-created greenhouse gases are coming from. We found the vast majority is from our fossil fuel use — electricity, transportation, travel, and agriculture. You can take a look and see some of those sectors here.” (Handout “THE WORST GHG EMITTING SECTORS IN CANADA.”)

BREAK

Time: 15 minutes

 

97% percent of scientists agree

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 5 minutes

Materials needed: Newsprint with 97% pie chart

Prep: Draw on newsprint a version of this pie chart:

 

Remind people of the process we’ve been following — “It’s warming. It’s us. We’re sure. It’s bad. We can fix it.” In the last session we addressed it’s warming and it’s us.

 

Explain: “And we’re sure. An overwhelming 97% of scientists agree that climate change is being caused by human greenhouse gas emissions. There is no meaningful debate about the basic science of climate change.”

 

“Let’s take a breath together.”

 

Exxon knew what to do

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 25 minutes

Materials: newsprint, markers, Handout: Exxon knew what to do

 

Introduce: “The scientists aren’t the only ones who know that climate change is being caused by human greenhouse gas emissions — even Exxon knew.”

 

Ask everyone to get comfortable. Explain that you’re going to read aloud some quotes from Exxon’s internal experts about climate change. Ask people to notice feelings they have as these quotes are read.

 

Read these quotes and give about 10 seconds in between in one. Each one is from a high ranking Exxon employee.

 

• “In the first place, there is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels.” [Senior Exxon scientist James Black presented in 1977]
• “Present thinking holds that man has a time window of five to ten years before the need for hard decisions regarding changes in energy strategies might become critical.” [The same person in 1978, reporting on their own data.]
• Global warming “would require major reductions in fossil fuel combustion… [unless that happened] there are some potentially catastrophic events that must be considered.… Once the effects are measurable, they might not be reversible.” [An internal Exxon report marked not to be distributed]
• “Over the past several years, a clear scientific consensus has emerged. There is unanimous agreement in the scientific community that a temperature increase of [2-3 degrees C] would bring about significant changes in the earth’s climate, including rainfall distribution and alterations in the biosphere.” [Exxon’s 1982 internal scientific model]

 

Say: “Exxon knew.”
“But Exxon made a sharp turn into the doubt industry.

It began firing its own scientists. It turned its back on its own research and data.”

 

Again, read quotes with 10 second pause between each:

 

• “Currently, the scientific evidence is inconclusive as to whether human activities are having a significant effect on the global climate.” [CEO Lee Raymond, 1996]
• “It is highly unlikely that the temperature in the middle of the next century will be significantly affected whether policies are enacted now or 20 years from now.” [CEO Lee Raymond in 1997]
• Referring to its ad campaign to cast doubt on the Kyoto treaty — the first international agreement to try to reign in carbon emissions — “Victory will be achieved when average citizens ‘understand’ (recognize) uncertainties in climate science.” [Exxon’s internal memo, 1998]

 

Say: “He then slashed funding by over 80% for their scientific research on carbon impacts on the planet. Exxon kept reaping huge profits.”

“Meanwhile, they put the responsibility back onto individuals:”

 

• “What can consumers do to address the risks of climate change? Here are some simple steps to consider: Be smart about electricity use. Heat and cool your home efficiently. Improve your gas mileage. Check your home’s greenhouse gas emissions [with a carbon footprint calculator].” [Exxon ad]

 

“But Exxon knows what needs to be done. The solutions are less fossil fuels:”

 

• An Exxon employee researching ways to offset Exxon’s carbon emissions said they knew steps to take: “It was that greenhouse gas buildup could pose a threat to our business. You didn’t want climate change caused by oil and gas. So the responsible thing to do was offset any greenhouse gases you were putting into the atmosphere.” [Exxon employee]
• “Data confirm that greenhouse gas are increasing in the atmosphere. Fossil fuels contribute most of the CO2.… Arguments that we can’t tolerate delay and must act now can lead to irreversible and costly draconian steps.” [Duane LeVine, Exxon’s manager of science and strategy development, 1989]

 

“Yes, that is where we are.

Exxon spent 0.2% on low-carbon like wind and solar. Its emissions throughout its chain (known as Scope 3 emissions) alone are more than all of Canada.” [https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/exxonmobil/]

 

Invite everyone to take a breath together.

 

Then ask everyone to turn to someone else. “Chat for a few minutes about what came up — what did you notice inside you, what did you notice that Exxon did, and what lessons do we have to take from this?”

 

On newsprint, ask people to make a list of things we’re learning/affirming right now. Get a list of 5 or 10 top lessons emerging from this afternoon’s sessions.

 

Pass out the handout.

 

 

Parallel line role play: How fossil fuels are heating up our planet

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 40 minutes

 

(Try to not call this a role-play — you’ll likely elicit more resistance. You can call it “practice” instead.)

 

Explain: “We took in a lot of data today. Tomorrow we’ll go much further into the real solutions — weaning ourselves off fossil fuel. So now we’re going to explore talking to others about what you learned today. Let’s just call out — what are some key concepts or ideas we heard today?”

 

Get a few examples of things from the day, including:

• the science of climate change is clear
• climate change is being caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
• fossil fuel companies know this — and are covering up the research to support their bottomline
• the impacts of climate change will be far-reaching and devastating.

 

“Please stand up as you are able and let’s form two equal parallel lines.”

 

When the two lines are formed, ask them to acknowledge the person across from them (for example, shake hands or nod at each other). That instruction (a) helps people bond for the exercise, and (b) makes sure everyone has a partner. Adjust numbers so everyone has one partner.

 

Explain the scenario: “Okay, so one line [gesture to that line] is going to be a friend who knows climate change is bad but doesn’t really understand how it’s happening. They know you just took this workshop and want to understand climate change better.”

 

“The other line — you are yourselves. Think back on everything you know, you learned, and try to find your own words. If you talk about climate change a lot, I’ll challenge you to try something new — incorporate some of the personal impacts you heard about this morning or other pieces that are both persuasive, informative, and coming from your passion.”

 

“Each side, take a minute to get into role. Go inside and find that part of you that is curious. Find your passion for talking about climate change. And… BEGIN!”

 

Stop it as energy starts to go down. “STOP!”

 

It’s okay that it takes a bit of time for people to calm down, because it’s a meaningful transition. Laugh along with them. For the perfectionists who worry that they didn’t do it “right,” the relaxed facilitator laughing may help them shake off an intense or challenging role (for both sides).

 

Invite the people being themselves to share how that was for them. Try to get them to identify their own reactions — it’s their feelings you want, not what they did or their self-critiques. Coach them by giving examples of feelings, if need be. “Did you feel anxious? Confident?” Feelings indicate deep motivations and invite greater awareness of what led them to their own behaviour choices.

 

Then ask the other side, “What things did your partner say that were at least a little bit effective?” You’re coaching this side to notice both their internal reactions and the behaviours of their partners. Be patient. If someone shares something that didn’t work, just go right on and again say “We’re looking for anything your partner did that worked in some way, even slightly.” If you keep re-asking and re-phrasing this question, you’ll get useful responses.

 

Quickly summarise a few of the behaviours that worked: “used a metaphor… talked about their own city and what climate change would cause… acted it out… was funny… asked me what I already knew…”

 

Have one person from one line move down to the other end — then everyone will find themselves with a brand new partner.

 

Now have everyone reverse roles. Tell the side that was themselves that they are now a friend who knows climate change is bad but doesn’t really understand how it’s happening. They that their partner (point to the other row) just took this workshop and they want to understand climate change better.

 

Remind people to keep trying something new. Be sure to emphasise exploring options. Tell them that it’s fine to repeat things, fine to try new things, and fine to try a bunch of things. Thank the folks who are now fulfilling a different role in advance.

 

Again, give them a few moments to get into their character, then start the practice and stop them when the energy starts to drop.

 

Debrief in the same way as above.

 

(If you happen to have more than 20’ left, you can switch partners and have them run a third or even fourth time.)

 

Finally, bring the group to the chairs. Ask people to recall some of the various options that worked. You can make a list if there is time. The goal is just to review and affirm what people tried — for some it was their first effort.

 

This is a great time for a story to close the session, such as an example of you persuading someone, talking about climate change, or an intervention you made. Allow discussion so people can bring up other examples from their lives or anecdotes they’ve heard because this is a way of generalising.

 

Closing Circle: Lift the sky together

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 5 minutes

 

“I have terrible news. The sky has fallen down! It lies before us: there is the sun, and the moon, and there are the clouds. We need to carefully lift the sky in place. To do that, we need to lift it up from the ground all together – we cannot have pieces sliding off because we’re uneven.”

 

Demonstrate raising the sky from your knees, up above your head, to tossing it into the air. (Everyone, of course, adjusts this to their own body!)

 

“Explain that the sky sticks better when you yell: so as you toss it into the air you all need to yell really loud.”

 

Do it – don’t lead the group in doing it. Let them do it on their own together.

 

Important: Invite people to bring to the next morning’s gathering some object that represents something that they love and could lose to climate change.

 

 

 

 

Day 2

Climate Impact Altar

Time it takes to lead this tool: 25 minutes

Materials needed: Table for altar, 3 candles and something to light them with, leaves/flowers AND a closing poem if you want to pick an alternative

 

Set the stage

Have everyone join a large group circle. In the centre place three unlit candles on the altar. Put a few leaves and flowers around the candles.

Groups may start with a song.

 

Meditation

Lead the group through a guided meditation to become present and grounded:

 

Get into your body, feel your feet on the ground, breathe, listen to the wind/trees/birds, look around. Take it all in.

Now close your eyes or let them soften.

And I want you to think all the way back to arriving this morning. Where were you? Were you with anyone? Were your bags heavy? Did you take a car? A taxi? Walk?

And now I want you to bring in the feeling of arriving here. Who welcomed you? How were you feeling? Were you nervous? Were you excited? Who did you sit with at breakfast?

Now let’s think back to this morning and breakfast. What else was on your mind? What concerns or stresses did you have?

Let’s take a deep breath together. And feel free to let all of that go.

Because now, we are here. With our feet firmly planted on the ground. Together. Take just a second to check in with your body. Notice what’s going on there. And take just a few more breaths.

Now let your eyes blink open.

 

Lighting of the Candles

Introduce that you are going to build an altar together and keep it until the end of the workshop. It’s something that folks in this room may be familiar with, but it may also be something new. This is a way to honour the past, honour the present, and honour the future.

 

(light 1st candle)

So we light this first candle for the past …for the shoulders we stand on, the elders who come before us, whose hands are at our backs, who guide us each day.

(light 2nd candle)

We light this candle for the pain, the grief, and the suffering of the world, and for the connections and love between us and the choices we make everyday to choose change and hope over suffering and fear

(light 3rd candle)

As we light this candle we invite you to hold the choice you made to be here and for the Future … for the world we will build, for the people who will come after us, may this future be filled with light .

As we light this candle we invite you to think of someone or something that you are fighting for.

 

Building the Altar

Explain that we asked everyone to bring an object today that represents something that you love and could lose to climate change. Model this, sharing your story and object.

 

Form groups of about three.  Have each person share: What is your object and what does it represent?

 

Bring people back into the large group.

 

Go around the group and have each person say their object and what it represents using ONE word. So for example. “My object is a ______ . And I’m fighting for _______.”  And the rest of the group will say in response: “And I’m fighting for that too.”  As they introduce their object, they add it to the altar.

 

You may want to choose a piece of reading to close with, such as this Inupiaq Alaskan poet Joan Naviyuk Kane:

 

What do you see out there on the ice?

Perhaps something dark, far off,

louder than the bellowing headlines

in the otherwise technical silence.

 

In a lecture hall, once, in Barrow,

I listened while the ice of the Beaufort Sea

split into blue leads three months early.

What I heard was: if only we learned

 

the old ways, we’d learn where we fit

in life, how critical we are to each other.

That a hunt done right results in little

suffering or loss. That the migrations

 

of fowl, fish, and mammals will continue.

What I wanted to hear was a reassurance.

Some kind of premonition or promise, like

when words come back, so do the other things

milk black carbon. Instead, what I hold within

is the felt absence of place. A land of great

failure, abundance: it goes on without us.

 

 

Close your circle with the Butterfly Hug (next activity).

 

You can blow out the candles (or leave them burning through the remainder of the session). Ask everyone to leave the altar together until the end of the workshop. They may add to it at any time if they like.

Butterfly Hug Practice

Time it takes to lead this tool: 5 minutes

Materials needed: None

 

The butterfly hug is a self-soothing technique that can help manage feelings of overwhelm and help us feel safe.

 

While still in your circle from the climate impact altar, demonstrate this technique, inviting the group to follow along with you at each step.

 

Prompts:

• Hook your thumbs together with your palms facing your chest like a butterfly.
• Lightly tap your fingers onto your chest, back and forth, one hand (or “butterfly wing”) after the other. You can close your eyes or just lower your gaze.
• Continue tapping while you bring attention to your breath. See if you can deepen and lengthen your breath.
• Notice any feelings or thoughts that come up without judging yourself. Let them pass like clouds.

 

Lead the group to continue this for a minute or two until you feel the calm in the room.

 

Explain: “We’re going to have a couple of different methods for grounding and centering today. See how many you can spot!”

Climate impact stations

Time it takes to lead this tool: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Materials needed: 5 tables, printouts of Climate Impact Stations, timer

Prep: Put the printed materials for each topic at separate tables around the room to make the stations

 

Challenge the group to line up across the room in order of their birthday (not birth year, just month and day)… but without speaking. Once the group has settled, have each person say their birthday out loud to see if they ended up in the right order. Celebrate the group!  Then ask them to split into five groups of about equal size, based on those with birthdays nearest to them.

 

Introduce that the group will be moving through several stations about climate impacts.

 

The stations are:

• Sea Level Rise and Melting Ice
• Ocean Warming and Acidification
• Extreme Heat
• Storms
• Shifting Seasons, Habitats & Climatic Zones

 

At each station, the group should review the provided information about this impact of climate change. They may choose to have a member of the group read out loud.  Then the group should discuss: What are some ways this will impact (or is already impacting) people they know?

 

After about 10-12 minutes, rotate stations.  Repeat again every 10-12 minutes so each group gets to visit all five stations.

 

After the last station, invite everyone to take a few minutes to journal on their own. How will the changes they learned about in these stations impact them personally in the future? What impacts are they already seeing?

 

 

Feedback Loops

Time it takes to lead this tool: 20 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Feedback Loops, preferably printed in colour (and/or a projector, if you’re using that method)

 

“I have bad news and neutral news.The bad news is that climate scientists are literally losing sleep over this. The reason isn’t just the incremental warming. It’s what are known as feedback loops. When the heat gets worse, it causes bad things to happen which in turn causes more carbon dioxide to be released, which in turn causes more heat… these feedback loops are what are terrifying scientists because they can cause runaway climate change — where our heat begins to spike far faster than we can acclimate.

 

“The neutral news isn’t really news. It’s the set-up of the activity. We have copies of these scientists’ nightmares. These are all real. Two have good news. We will hand them out to you and you will have to try to guess what they are.”

 

Handout the Feedback Loops (depending on how they have been printed, this is better if you can quickly hand out one at a time so we’re all looking at the same one). Alternatively, if it is easy, you can display these on a projector.

 

Make sure people do not read the handouts. They have to follow instructions carefully so they are only looking at the image side first.

 

Have the group look at the first image and “try to interpret this dream/nightmare.”

 

After each image is a description of that feedback loop on the back page that people can read about to learn what is. (Note: the handout is in order of complexity: so starting with the wildfires will make it easier to keep growing…)

 

Continue through all the images.

 

Try not to make this a bummer session — but the implications are truly disastrous. Make sure the group closes on the “activism” feedback loop.

 

Close by affirming we’re going to talk about how to fight against the bad feedback loops.

 

A scientific note on language:

• In this course we do not use the scientific language of POSITIVE and NEGATIVE loops. POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP: In a positive feedback loop, an initial warming triggers a feedback to amplify the effects warming. NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP: Whereas negative feedback loops reduce the effects of climate change.
• So scientifically “POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOPS” on climate change are bad.
• We think this is confusing for the non-scientific community. However, we mention it here just in case someone in your room does know this academic language and references it.

 

Break

Time: 15 minutes

Mingle

Time it takes to lead this tool: 10 minutes

 

Invite participants to stand up as they are able. Moving around the room, they will pair up with someone for a brief discussion of the prompt.  Each person gets a turn answering the prompt. After they answer, they can keep moving to meet as many people as they can. Stop everyone after a few minutes (using a timer with an alarm or a bell can help get everyone’s attention), and offer the new prompt. Repeat the process.

 

Mingle prompts:

• A person who helped me believe in myself is ….
• Some things I love about being alive on Earth are…

Having Climate Change Conversations

Time it takes to lead this tool: 60 minutes

Materials needed: Newsprint, markers, Writing materials, Worksheet: Having Climate Change Conversations, Handout: Tips for talking about climate change

Prep: Write the four steps on newsprint or a slide, set up an area with chairs in two concentric circles facing each other (one for each participant)

 

Ineffective ways to talk about climate change

Ask everyone to raise their hands if they’ve ever heard anyone talk about climate change like this (going through the examples one at a time):

• Talked only about far away examples, like Pacific Islands going underwater
• Only presented scientific facts and figures without also making it personal
• Convinced people about the size of climate change without offering anything people can do
• In the face of climate crisis, offered only tiny solutions, like changing light bulbs
• Did not speak with passion and from their heart
• Focused too much on finding the “right words”

Reflect back how common these approaches are. “Anyone here ever do it themselves?” Yet they often don’t work.

 

Introduce the Process

Introduce that “luckily, we have a four step process that works much better for talking about climate change in a way that brings people to action.”  Explain that we’ll walk through the four steps together, then try it out.

 

Show and read the four steps on newsprint or a slide:

1. Give a concrete example of climate change around us
2. Find out what your audience cares about — and explain how climate change hurts that
3. Explain the science of those climate impacts, especially how feedback loops are making it worse
4. Offer them a chance to connect to a large movement

 

Step 1:

Invite everyone to think back on the conversations and lessons we’ve had so far about climate change impacts.  Ask them to imagine looking out the window here – what’s an example of climate change around you that you could point to?  Give an example, like:

 

When I look out my window, I see a number of potholes. And it feels like it’s more than normal, right? It’s real. And we know climate change is one of the causes. We’ve had more extreme hot and cold temperatures — and that’s causing more cracks in our sidewalks and streets. When it heats up, then freezes, there’s a greater amount of pressure and stress. More potholes.

 

Invite a few more examples to be shared out loud, then pass out the Worksheet: Having Climate Change Conversations and invite everyone to write down one example on their worksheet that they would be comfortable bringing up in a conversation with someone.

 

Step 2:

Rather than just talking about science, at this stage we get in touch with what people value.  Give an example, like:

 

I was sitting down with a local religious leader. We had met a couple of times, so I didn’t know a lot about him. I knew he cared about the health of his community.  And I was surprised when I asked him what things he enjoyed doing. He told me he loved watching hockey!

 

Ask everyone to write down one person they could talk to about climate change and three things that person values.

 

After everyone has written down their person and what they value, explain that once you know what someone values, connect that with the impacts of climate change.  Continue on with your example, like:

 

When the religious leader talked about loving hockey, it took me a moment to catch the issue. But I did my best: “I don’t know much about hockey, but I know the weather is warming sufficiently that a lot of outdoor hockey isn’t happening. It’s just not cold enough. Ontario’s warmed by 1.5 degrees already — enough that many places aren’t getting deep enough freezes for outdoor hockey rings. And that trend is only going to grow.”

 

Invite everyone to choose one thing from the list of values they journaled in the previous step that they can connect to climate change.  Ask for a few examples.  If anyone is stuck, offer them to share their list with the group and see if the group can offer connections.

 

Step 3:

At this stage you ask yourself, what science could you share to help illustrate what is causing this impact? Think back to the practice we did on day one about talking about climate science.  And how can you connect this to feedback loops, which helps to show how urgent this is?  Again, give an example, like:

 

I was worried about talking too abstractly, so I gave an example of a tiny feedback loop close to my life: “And this is gonna accelerate. Take the potholes. We’re gonna have more potholes, which means the government is gonna do what? Leave some of them, but fix others. That’s more burning of carbon to make that happen. But that whole process increases the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Now that’s just our city. But that’s an example of the feedback loops that are causing climate change.”

 

Ask everyone to continue journaling on their own example.  After a couple of minutes, again invite a couple people to share or people to ask for help if needed.

 

Step 4:

In this last step, you connect them to a larger movement. Think of an action you can ask them to take.  How will you follow-up? Share an example:

 

With the leader, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to ask him. We were just friends having breakfast together. But I knew he was interested, because he asked me if I would come to his congregation and speak. “Sure, I can do that. But you know, I don’t want to just speak at people. I want them to get involved. So after the talk, will you join me at the next protest we’re doing? And at the talk you can ask your congregation to join, too.” After he said yes, I said: “Great! I will call you next week to set up all the details.”

 

Do a brainstorm with the group of what actions you could ask people to take.

 

Concentric circles practice:

Arrange chairs into two concentric circles, with the chairs facing each other.  Ask everyone to stand in front of a chair, then ask one circle to move clockwise and the other counter clockwise until you say STOP!  Each person should sit in the nearest chair, so now they are facing their partner for climate change conversations.

 

Ask the people in the inner circle to try out the 4 steps on their partner, giving them 5-10 minutes to try it out.

 

When time is up, let everyone stay where they are but debrief for a little bit:

• How did that go?
• What step was easiest for you?
• What step was hardest? Why do you think?
• For those on the outer circle, what do you think worked well about what your partner did?

 

Now ask everyone to stand and again rotate around the chairs until you say STOP!  Everyone sits down with their new partner.  This time the people on the outer circle try out the 4 steps for 5-10 minutes.

 

After this round, debrief briefly, and encourage them to think forward to applying this technique on their own:

• How did that go?
• What did you learn?
• What would help you be more prepared to do this outside the training room?
• Can you think of someone you would like to try this with?

 

Close out by handing out Handout: Tips for talking about climate change.

 

 

12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH

 

Radio DJ

 

Time it takes to lead this too: 15 minutes

Materials needed: Paper/pen

 

Have boisterous music on as people return from lunch.

 

Divide the group into 4 or 5 groups (or roughly 4 to 6 people per group). Give them a paper and a pencil.

 

Explain the challenge: “In the next 60 seconds, you have to come up with as many songs that you all know and all of you can sing. Questions?” Go!

 

Once they have done this, bring them to a pause. Explain: “I’m the DJ of this group. And you know how people are — we don’t want to listen to a radio station that plays the same music on repeat. And we keep switching radio stations.”

 

Explain that you will point to a group and they have to start singing a song that hasn’t been sung by anyone else yet. They all have to sing every word together.

 

(Keep it light! This is about being playful — not being right, or judged…)

 

Point to a group and have them start singing. Don’t go through the whole song — keep the music going long enough to be playful but don’t let anything drag (especially if they’re singing songs like “A…B…C…D…” or “Twinkle twinkle…”) before pointing to another group and having them take over with a song no group has sung before.

 

When the groups are out of songs (or out of time), bring this session to a close. “DJ is closed for the day — thank you everyone!”

 

For the last step have the group pick a song from their list that they think is most inspirational. Have them sing a few lines from it. (This is just to anchor inspiration in people’s minds as we go into a challenging step!)

 

Every thing that can be done to stop climate change

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 75 minutes

Materials needed: Multiple sheets of newsprint taped on the wall & marker

 

This is an unusual listmaking tool. Typically in a brainstorm you want to get a few items on a list — many even a lot. But this is what’s sometimes called “list to extinction” — you want to list until people have no more things they can come up with.

 

Here’s the task: “Come up with an exhaustive list of things that can be done to help stop climate change.”

 

Explain that for now we won’t enter into debates or disagreements or questions about what is most effective or if it really works. If someone in the group thinks it helps climate change, then it goes on the list. We’ll then explore some things but certainly not everything.

 

To start, have people get into small groups to come up with a list. Give them 10 minutes to come up with some things that can be done.

 

(By the way, notice the language. We’re not saying “things you can do” — because that suggests to people just individual action. “Things that can be done” may include structural, social transformation.)

 

Bring the group back together with a lot of newsprint. Get one item from each group (without duplication), and write it onto the newsprint. Write fast. (If you have a co-facilitator, both of you write.) Do this until there are no more written by each group.

 

Then say, “Let’s keep adding to this list — what else?” Encourage people to free associate and keep adding. Keep writing fast (but neatly so people can read later).

 

One way to keep juicing the list is ask probing questions to get people thinking about things not on the list. For example:

• “What are things individuals can do?” / “What about corporations?” / “What can unions do?” / “What can governments do?”
• “What are policies to reduce fossil fuel consumption?” / “What are ways to switch heat?”
• “We’ve got a lot of items about ___. What about ___?”
• “What’s a different kind of thing that can be done we haven’t talked about?”

 

Keep the list going for as long as you can hold the group’s attention on this — so stay energised, and big. Try not to get dragged into explaining things that people don’t know (“What is geothermal?” ”What’s blue hydrogen?”).

 

After what’s likely 30 minutes or more of making this list you should have a really, really big list — multiple newsprint sheets full of things that can be done.

 

When people stop having more items to add, ask people to take a really big breath together. “We’re just going to pause. We have learned from science that the oxygen we take in with each breath nourishes every cell in our body. Taking a full but natural breath, imagine that vitality and oxygen flowing upward, bringing clarity into your mind. Exhale, directing your breath down through your body from head to toe, releasing tension along the way. Direct the next inhalation to your heart, sending a comforting breath to ease emotional tension.”

 

Now, ask people to get into groups of ~4 people with three tasks:

• What things do they not know what they are? If that small group has the knowledge, then share it!
• Are there any on this list that you think don’t belong on this list?
• Any other broad reflections on this list? Themes or patterns? Ways you would categorise?

 

Bring the group back into the large group. Explain: “We’re going to come back to this list over the next day as a touchstone. But let’s make sure we have a basic idea of the items on this list… and let’s also get a healthy debate on which things don’t belong on this list. We may not get to everything — and nobody here will know everything, but let’s open up discussion to share what we know in this room.”

 

Invite people to first ask for clarification questions — things that are on the list that people want to know more about. Answer questions or turn to the group to clarify items as needed.

 

And then invite people to look at any that don’t appear to belong. (Unless you and/or the group have total clarity it needs to be removed, we don’t think you should try to cross everything out that “doesn’t fit perfectly.” This is a rapidly brainstormed list to get us started.)

 

Some commons debates that show up:

 

• Population growth. There’s no question that reducing population would reduce greenhouse gases. But this argument is often unfairly applied. People with wealth (who tend to be white/Global North) have a far, far bigger footprint than poor populous countries like India or China. So when we talk about population growth, the effective strategy is to reduce the number of rich people in the world who own their own planes and helicopter pads, etc.
• Specific individual practices, like growing your own herbs. Many individual actions often have hidden consequences. Urban dwellers trying to raise a few herbs in plastic containers on their stoop are less efficient than large-scale agricultural producers. You may be healing your fractured relationship with dirt, soil and Nature. But, it’s carbon intensive if you buy an herb in a plastic container with harsh chemicals to keep it alive from a big box store that transported its plants from a long distance greenhouse. The benefits may not outweigh the overall carbon footprint. In an unjust, fossil fuel dependent society, these trade-offs can be tricky to weigh.
• Solar panels don’t offset the carbon it takes to produce them (myth!). Many years ago anti-solar advocates began tossing out a myth that solar (or wind or other renewables) take more investment in carbon to produce than they use. This is not even close to true, no matter how you calculate it. Photovoltaic solar electricity, including cradle-to-grave factors (including installation, creation, etc) contributes 98% less greenhouse gases than electricity generated from coal.

 

 

Close by inviting people into a way of thinking about this list: “We’re not making this list with the goal of overwhelming you. This isn’t a list of everything that needs to happen. It’s a list of options — a way of seeing that we already know many, many of the solutions that do need to happen. And we need to assess where to put our precious energy. Thankfully, we can lean on some people who have been thinking about this to help guide us. But it should be pretty empowering to realise how much we already know — how much the steps are already clear about some paths we can take.”

 

Break

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15

Pretend you own a pipeline

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

 

Explain: “We’re going to begin looking at what is effective. So to start, I would like to ask everyone to make a group with people you haven’t talked with yet today.”

 

Get people into groups of four/five.

 

Tell everyone to pretend they are all Bosses. In fact, that they’re owners of a tar sands pipeline. Give people a second to laugh and get into the mindset.

 

Explain: “I have a memo to you from your public relations team.”

 

Here it goes:

 

You have a 1-minute press conference coming up. You were asked to talk about how people should solve climate change.

 

The public firmly believes that climate change is a problem. You cannot convince them otherwise. They want to see that the Company sees climate change as an issue — so you have to say something.

 

But you have been asked to talk about what the country can do about climate change. You cannot threaten our company’s economic bottomline. But the public is getting wise to broad statements — so you need to offer people something tangible that doesn’t impact our bottomline.

 

You’ve got to prepare quickly — the talk is happening in six minutes.

 

Walk around the room to support teams if they need any clarity on the task. Give people a little more than 6 minutes (check-in to see if they have the idea).

 

After time is up, exclaim: “It’s time for the press conference. Let’s hear from a few groups!”

 

This can be playful. So don’t be too tight on time (especially if the group is laughing).

 

After a group goes, try to pull out a few choice lessons (“What’d you see this time?” or “Oh, so this was all about blaming individuals for their car choices”). You don’t have to get to every group, if there isn’t time.

 

“Okay, we have to stop being Bosses now. Let’s shake it off.”

 

Lead people through a quick shake-off activity:

 

• Have people stand as able. Then have people shake their right hand and their whole arm five times — each time counting aloud. Then shake their left arm (5x). Then right leg (5x). Then left leg (5x).
• People countdown — so same shaking sequence by 4x: right arm (4x), left arm (4x), right leg (4x), left leg (4x)…
• Then 3x… then (getting faster) 2x… then (fastest of all!) 1x!

 

Try to leave 10 minutes at the end for discussion about: “Where do you see some of these strategies playing out in real life?”

 

For example, you can ask:

• So Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bought the Kinder Morgan pipeline using Canadian money. How does he speak to these themes? How effective is he being at convincing the public he’s working on climate change?
• Listening to all this lying and deceit, what does this mean about what actions will be really effective?

 

Make sure to note where people paralleled real strategies taken by companies. For example:

• BP and Exxon champion “carbon footprints” — which place blame on individuals’ doorsteps. So when climate change keeps being a problem, who’s to blame? Ah, yes, individuals.
• PM Trudeau has been talking heavily about climate. He does it largely by listing lots of activity around climate change — but none of the most impactful things like stopping production, decreasing use, or reducing the overall consumption of fossil fuels. So he’s supporting a “new climate denial” where “climate action” can miraculously co-exist with the status quo of fossil fuel expansion.
• Huge advertising campaigns are now being championed by fossil fuel companies that tout their investment in renewables. BP spent millions of dollars on a campaign saying it was “Beyond Petroleum” and often shows its logo associated with solar panels and wind farms, all while spending more than 96 percent of the company’s annual capital expenditure on oil and gas.

 

How can I tell if it’s a bad/good solution?

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 35 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Real or False Solutions and Handout: What makes a good solution and red pieces of paper and green pieces of paper (or flags, scraps of fabric…)

 

“Okay, let’s return to putting your hat on as an activist!”

 

This session looks at some different solutions and asks the question if they’re good or bad solutions.

 

To do this, have people get into groups of 5 people and hand out their pieces of paper. One green and one red per group.

 

The facilitator will read a few different possible solutions to climate change. The groups will discuss and get only 3 minutes to decide if it’s “good” GREEN, “bad” RED, or a MIX (if they think it’s murky they can put up both pieces of paper). They may be asked to explain their decision.

 

Facilitator chooses several of these. (Choose a range of solutions that came up in your earlier brainstorm. Start with one that feels easy to assess to begin with.)

 

• ASK EVERYONE TO RECYCLE
• BLUE HYDROGEN — Blue hydrogen is a way of producing energy. It is when natural gas is split into hydrogen and carbon dioxide either by Steam Methane Reforming or Auto Thermal Reforming. In theory, the carbon dioxide can be captured and stored.
• GEOTHERMAL — Geothermal technology harnesses the Earth’s heat. Just a few feet below the surface, the Earth maintains a near-constant temperature, in contrast to the summer and winter extremes of the ambient air above ground. Using an energy-efficient exchange, geothermal uses that energy to either heat or cool buildings.
• DIRECT ACTION CAPTURE — This is a particular type of carbon capture. This process captures carbon dioxide when air is passed through huge fans and a chemical process traps carbon for storage. It’s currently in its infancy in terms of development — so it’s about Can$ 755-1,000 per ton of carbon removed.
• SECURE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS — In particular, we’re talking about securing land tenure (what some call “land ownership”) that protects indigenous peoples’ rights. With sovereignty, traditional practices can continue—in turn protecting ecosystems and carbon sinks and preventing emissions from deforestation.
• WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO FAMILY PLANNING – Evidence shows that boosting women’s rights to decide whether and when to have children enhances equity, slows population growth at a global scale, and contributes to climate mitigation. This about extending women’s rights to plan their families and access to birth control to make those decisions.

 

After 3 minutes, ask the groups to hold up their flags – red/green/some of both. Ask a few groups why they made their decision. The goal isn’t broad agreement but sharing information, perspective, and — most importantly — thinking about what are the requirements of a good solution.

 

At the conclusion, hand out Real or False Solutions. Invite people to shout-out any other false solutions they hear being pushed by elected officials, fossil fuel companies, or others.

 

At the end, if there is time, do a “group read” of the handout on What makes a good solution.

 

Closing Circle

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 10 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Staying grounded while learning about climate change

 

Have everyone make a circle (with people standing as able*).

 

“This has been a big day. Tomorrow we’re going to look more at what we can do. But I want to just acknowledge it was a big day. So because climate change can bring up big feelings, we did a bunch of different techniques to try to help us stay present during the day. What are some you noticed?”

 

See if people can notice a few. Then share that you have one final handout for the night. Pass out the handout on self-care techniques with climate change.

 

“Now, I’d like to ask each person to share one thing they’re taking away — and one thing they’re leaving behind. It could be something you learned or a wish you want to remind yourself of. And then something you want to leave behind — maybe an old belief or an outdated thing you used to be thinking or feeling.”

 

“Try to keep it brief — just a phrase or sentence (but not two or three).”

 

Have everyone share and then thank the group.

 

 

*We ask people to stand because people who are standing are less likely to talk on and on and on and on…

Day 3

Strategy Stretch

Time it takes to lead this tool: 5 minutes

 

Invite everyone to follow you – standing randomly around the room or seated if needed – in stretching their arms and/or bodies to the following prompts. You can adapt the prompts to fit your group and your own expression. A sense of spaciousness in your delivery, your enthusiasm while leading, and repeating each prompt with slight word variations, expands this activity from a mere stretch break to an invitation to connection among your group.

 

Prompts:

• Reach up for your visions – reach for them! You can reach with your shoulders, your arms, your heart.
• Reach out for your allies [demonstrate reaching, more or less from your waist, to the side, front back]. Yes, we’ve got to work together and yes, we can do this together!
• Reach down for your roots [leaning down from waist or hips, with a scooping motion of hands], gather up your culture, your food, the wisdom of your people, the knowledge in the land and water.
• Now gather all that love & wisdom, and slowly roll up your spine, carrying it with you, and place it right on your heart [both hands on heart, once you’ve rolled up].

 

Source: Erika Thorne, Training for Change

Check-in with small groups and ask: “What are you learning so far?”

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15 minutes

 

Ask people to get into pairs.

 

Once they’ve done that, explain: “We want you to take just a few minutes with the person next to you to think about what you have been learning that’s been new and useful to you. We’ll give you about 6 minutes for this. Take this opportunity to just review your notes, your questions you came in with, and just check in where you are now.”

 

Call out about half-time so people can switch, if they haven’t. When they come back, feel free to get a small sample of responses.

Team Types

Time it takes to lead this tool: 60 minutes

Materials needed: Handout: Team types

 

Give a brief context to the tool: Each of us has something to contribute to this cause!  Explain that you will be describing four different roles.  As you are describing them, people may reflect on if that description sounds like them.

Part 1: Describe the roles

It is best if you can avoid reading it as a list but describe it in your own words.  Explain the four roles in a number of different ways.  For example, possible language might be:

East • People in this role generate lots of ideas, seeing the big picture.  They look at a situation and wonder what else might happen.  They are rarely at a loss for a new idea.  That might result in them being quickly sidetracked with the new possibilities, maybe becoming overwhelmed or resulting in losing time.  They like future thought and experimenting.

South • Okay, people from the South are relationship people.  While the East people see ideas, the South people see relationships – they are value-driven, using the relationships around them to accomplish tasks.  They are supportive, feeling-based, and tend to see the health of the group around them as primary.  Because they are so feeling-based, they may have trouble saying no to requests and may internalise blame or accept responsibility even if they are not responsible.  Again, the relationship people.

West • Where East is idea-generation, and South relationship, West is into data and information.  In a group, West people want to see all the information before making a decision, weighing all the sides of an issue.  They use data and logic and are often seen as practical and thorough in tasks.  Because of their emphasis, they can be seen as entrenched and even stubborn, sometimes being indecisive because they get so mired into the details.

North • And finally North, sometimes called the warrior.  They like to act, even enjoying rising to challenges.  They are assertive, active and tend towards “shoot first, aim second.”  They carry a sense of urgency and can ride roughshod over people.  This means they can lose patience with others and may try to be in control – or moving ahead without the support of the group.

As you describe each position, physically signal where that position is in the room.  You want people moving to that place in the room in a second.

Avoid giving people the handout at this stage.  If you do, people will often nit-pick: “This line applies to me.  This line does not.”  You want people to get the general feel of each team type – not precision.

Part 2: Get people moving

Answer any questions, but quickly get people moving into the four groups by moving to the corner of the room that feels like the closest fit for them.  Give them the first task to talk about what it’s like in that position.  This lets them settle into understanding that group.

Some individuals may show some resistance, “But I’m all those things.”  Encourage them to find a spot that best fits them, even listening into others conversations if they need.  Sometimes people will create Southeast or Northwest positions.  That is fine.  Stand with any people who are alone so they can have a dialogue (or encourage them to converse with a nearby group, like encourage the Southeast to chat with the South group but share in the large group from their own perspective).

Part 3: Large group dialogue

Give a question for the small group to answer.  Then facilitate a dialogue with the large group.  Give each group a chance to speak.  Repeat this a couple of times with questions appropriate.  For example:

• What do you like about your role?
• What annoys you about the other roles?
• What request might you make to the other roles to work more effectively with them?

During this conversation, notice the styles surfacing even in how people talk.  When the North people go first, make note of that out-loud.  Or when the South ask permission from the other groups to go next, acknowledge it.  Or when the West make a list… Or when the East ask, “Can we just add one more thing?”…  Each time this is a chance to help people internalise the concept and see the dynamics at play.

Stay light and encourage humour, especially as groups share what annoys them about the other groups.  People laughing is one way to internalise a concept.

Part 4: Application

After the sharing, people need a chance to think about how they might use this perspective as organisers and as they take action about climate change.  (If people got it, often the remainder of the group meeting or workshop will include references and jokes about the roles.  Encourage it!)

Ask people: “In what way is your approach a superpower to working on climate change? And what’s a way in which it can be a hindrance?” Give them a chance to share that question in small groups (3 or 4 is typically a good size). “How did this discussion about team types impact your approach to working against climate change? For example, how might it change the way you choose what roles to take or how you work with others?”

This can be supported by facilitators sharing their own approach. Here are two facilitators reflections on themselves working on climate change:

• North: I’m all about jumping into things. I look around and see what others aren’t doing and say let’s go to it. So when I want to work on climate change, I’m good at bringing the urgency to the table — to make sure our group doesn’t get caught in perfection. We have to do something! Better to die fighting than living on our knees. But a problem is when I blow past people who say that something would actually cause harm. I need to listen to those West’s who tell me that my solution wouldn’t really result in carbon dioxide reduction.
• West: I like to move carefully and really understand an issue. Climate change is a complex issue and so it’s good to understand. My superpower is that I’m willing to digest all the data and really study different options. I like reading raw reports, which most of my colleagues don’t. So it means when it’s time to discuss options, I have practical data to bring to the table. But…I do really struggle sometimes with making a decision. For that, it helps me to have others who bring more urgency to me to get out my books.

Give people until the break time to discuss this.

Pass out the Handout: Team types at the end.

 

Break

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15

Intro to Local Campaigns

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 45 minutes

 

This tool is where you would introduce campaigns that people can join. This is the ideal space for hard pitches about campaigns people should participate in or join or deepen their commitment to. It might include:

• Presentations
• Panels from local activists
• Discussing campaigns they can pick.

 

If you are having trouble designing this section, you should pick up the Climate Resistance Handbook.

 

Maximise/minimise: getting others active on climate change

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 55 minutes

Materials needed: Newsprint, markers

 

Explain: “We’ve heard a lot this morning about ourselves and our Team Types — and about different plans on climate change. So we want to return to bringing to mind what you know about recruiting people and getting others active — especially on an issue like this. We want to think about what works and doesn’t on getting people active on climate change.”

 

Get people into groups of about 3.

 

Ask them: “Think of a time when you were effective in getting someone to do something, maybe something that was a big challenge. Really bring that experience to mind. See if you can find a time that’s related to climate change. If not, pick something also challenging. Recall what you said, how you said it, what’s the energy you brought, what’s the tone you had, how you dealt with their resistance…”  Give them a little time to think quietly about this prompt.

 

Then invite them to share that story in their small groups. Take a few minutes per person to share.

 

Bring people back into the large group. Write “Maximise/minimise: getting others active on climate change” on the newsprint with a big T Like this:

 

Ask people: “So what did you do to maximise getting them active?”

 

List the ideas, and interact. Ask for an example or two; ask for hands on how many others have found a way of maximising that value; ask for surprising ideas that might be new to the group.

 

When the group has generated a sufficient (not exhaustive) list and understands the range of ways to maximise getting people active on climate change, ask “How, in your experience, do you minimise…?” Smile, assure them this is honesty time, give permission for them to do self-disclosure. Interact with them — this isn’t “tell on other people” as much as a chance to be honest about our own tendencies and what doesn’t work. Ask them for examples — and whenever possible ask them, “So if that’s what you do, what works for you when you don’t do this?”

 

This is a great segment for story-telling about challenging strategies, including lessons from the “Having Climate Change Conversations” segment (i.e. making it personal and connecting to the person in front of you and not getting pulled into long scientific arguments when a simple example from outside your window will work).

 

Close this session by asking people to pick one or two new things that they’re going to try doing more of. Tell them they’ll have a chance to practice after lunch.

12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH

Game (Big Wind Blows)

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15 minutes

 

(OR PICK YOUR OWN FAVOURITE GAME!)

 

Explain: “There are just enough seats in the circle for everyone but you. You are the big wind, and whoever you blow on has to move. Instead of blowing, you call out, ‘The big wind blows on everyone who…’ and then add a description of something that is true for you; for example, ‘on everyone who wears black socks’, or ‘everyone who is nervous’. Everyone who fits the description must get up and change seats; in the general commotion, you try to get a seat also.”

 

Whoever is left standing, gets to be the Big Wind next time. If the Big Wind calls “hurricane” then everyone has to change seats.

 

Laughter. Fun. Make sure nobody gets hurt.

 

Action Madlibs

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 45

Materials needed: Newsprint, writing materials, sticky notes

Prep: Write the lists below on the newsprint, prepare a random selection tool (slips of paper in a hat, online spinner, etc.)

 

Explain: “We’re preparing to go out into the world and people may ask us what kinds of actions we should do about climate change. So we’re going to get some creative practice with coming up with answers to help people think about what they can do!”

 

First, get people into groups of 4 people and give each group some sticky notes.

 

Show these two lists on newsprint:

 

Level of action	Potential Ally
Personal change Building community-level power (e.g. creating conditions for community-led renewable energy projects)   Organising for better policies locally Organising for better policies inside their institution/union Organising for better policies federally	Union workers Suburban parents School teachers Community groups Local city council (you keep adding…)

 

Then, as a facilitator, pick one of these from the first and the second list at random. For example: “Organising for better policies locally and School Teachers!” (You can do this by drawing from a hat, spinning a bottle, whatever creative method makes sense to you. You could even spin a wheel: https://wheelofnames.com/erh-69n / [French] https://wheelofnames.com/ujm-ffh).

 

Now the group has the challenge:

• “Answer the question commonly asked: What can we do?” for that person and that level of action.

 

The small group has to come up with an answer they think would be meaningful for them. They will only get 7 minutes (or so) to come up with something. At the end of the time, they should put their answer on a sticky note and set it aside.  They don’t share their ideas yet.

 

Then the facilitator comes up with another combination at random – one level of action and one person. The groups repeat the brainstorming process. This continues until about 15-minutes are left.

 

Once folks are finished, post all the ideas on the wall. Have people do a Gallery Tour of the proposals where they read and discuss them. What ideas do they love? What stands out about the brainstorm? What do they notice about this activity and the ideas it generated?

 

 

Personal letter of commitment: what do I want to do

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 20 minutes

Materials needed: Paper and pencils/pens and envelopes and stamps AND someone to put envelopes in the mail in about a month

 

Note: Optionally, facilitators may enjoy choosing a range of cards with different images on them and letting participants choose a card that speaks to them, rather than using blank paper.

 

Explain: “We’re going to take a few minutes to journal. Here’s how it’s going to work — each person is going to write a personal letter to themselves. This is where you share what you’re learning and what you want to remember a month from now.

 

“Maybe there are personal commitments you want to make — about what you will do, how you act, how you talk to people about climate change… whatever are your personal commitments. It’s for you and you alone. So you’ll write your letter in the next 15 minutes.

 

“When you’re done, put it in an envelope, address it to yourself, and put a stamp on it. When you’re done, you can head into break.”

 

Facilitators: Note that people will do this at different speeds, which is why the break comes after. When there are about 10 minutes left, alert them. As people begin finishing up you can put on some nice music if you wish to encourage people to go take their break time.

 

Logistics note: Someone has to be prepared to pop these in the mail in about a month.

Break

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 15

 

Parallel line role-play: Recruiting someone to join me with what I want to do

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 35 minutes

 

(This is a very similar structure as the previous day’s role-play.)

 

(Try to not call this a role-play — you’ll likely elicit more resistance. You can call it “practice” instead.)

 

Explain: “So you made some personal commitments. But we know the principle of solidarity means that nothing happens alone. It only happens with other people. So we’re going to give you a chance to think about who you might need to recruit to achieve your vision for what you can do to help on climate change. It could be a buddy, a partner, a friend, your local president… anybody. And we’ll get a chance to practise this now.”

 

Please stand up as you are able and let’s form two equal parallel lines.

 

When the two lines are formed, ask them to acknowledge the person across from them (for example, shake hands or nod at each other). That instruction (a) helps people bond for the exercise, and (b) makes sure everyone has a partner. Adjust numbers so everyone has one partner.

 

Explain the scenario:

• “This line — you’re going to be yourselves. So take a moment to think of one thing you want to do on climate change when you get back — whether it’s organising a protest, getting your house to have solar, getting your municipality to endorse the Delivering Community Power Plan… Then think of one person you may need to recruit. If you’re up for it, think of one person that may be challenging for you to recruit.

  “Now, explain that person — who they are, what they’re like — to the person in front of you. They’re going to be that person. Don’t start interacting with them until I say begin — just describe the situation.”

 

Then ask people to step back, take a breath, and thank them for trying this out. “This is all in the spirit of learning and trying things out — and we’ll see how it goes. Take a minute to get into your roles. Go inside and find that part of you that can connect with this role as best you can… And… BEGIN!”

 

Stop it as energy starts to go down. “STOP!”

 

It’s okay that it takes a bit of time for people to calm down, because it’s a meaningful transition. Laugh along with them. For the perfectionists who worry that they didn’t do it “right,” the relaxed facilitator laughing may help them shake off an intense or challenging role (for both sides).

 

Invite the people being themselves how that was for them. Try to get them to identify their own reactions — it’s their feelings you want, not what they did or their self-critiques. Coach them by giving examples of feelings, if need be. Feelings indicate deep motivations and invite greater awareness of what led them to their own behaviour choices.

 

Then ask the other side, “What things do your partner say that were at least a little bit effective?” You’re coaching this side to notice both their internal reactions and the behaviours of their partners. Be patient. If someone shares something that didn’t work, just go right on and again say “We’re looking for anything your partner did that worked in some way, even slightly.” If you keep re-asking and re-phrasing this question, you’ll get useful responses.

 

Quickly summarise a few of the behaviours that worked: “was passionate… found out what I cared about and connected it to me… asked me what would convince me!… told me they hear my no but would come back next week and try again…”

 

Have one person from one line move down to the other end — then everyone will find themselves with a brand new partner.

 

Now reverse roles. Have people switch.

 

• Again, people on the other line will think of a person they want to recruit. They’ll need a few minutes to come up with it and it share it with the new person in front of them.

 

Remind people to keep trying something new. Be sure to emphasise exploring options. Tell them that it’s fine to repeat things, fine to try new things, and fine to try a bunch of things. Thank the folks who are now fulfilling a different role in advance.

 

Debrief in the same way as above.

 

(If you happen to have more than 20 minutes left, you can switch partners and have them run a third or even fourth time.)

 

Finally, bring the group to the chairs.

 

Debrief: Ask people to recall some of the various options that worked and lessons about what they’ll want to do when it comes time to really recruit that person.

 

This is a great time for a story to close the session, such as an example of you persuading or talking about climate change. Allow discussion so people can bring up other examples from their lives or anecdotes they’ve heard because this is a way of generalising. If you have a story of an intervention you made, this is a great time to tell it to help send people home on a high note.

 

In closing, ask people to turn to someone near them and share some key lessons they want to take away from this session for when they go back home.

Taking apart the altar: sharing my commitment

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

 

“We’re now going to take apart the altar that we created.”

 

In a ritual way, invite people to take their item(s) from the altar. As they do, invite each person to share a commitment they are making to this work and an appreciation they have for the group.

 

Allow the space for this to be as deep as the group wants it to be. You may be surprised by how much vulnerability people might be ready to share by this day — and if they’re not up for that, that’s fine, too!

 

Next steps, feedback, logistics, closing

 

Time it takes to lead this tool: 30 minutes

Materials needed: A closing poem/song/word of inspiration if you want to pick an alternative

 

Address any logistics/next steps/transportation that need to be mentioned.

 

Explain how people will give/receive evaluation.

 

Finally, close the session with a poem or a piece of inspiration, such as this by Joy Harjo:

 

Praise the rain; the seagull dive

The curl of plant, the raven talk—

Praise the hurt, the house slack

The stand of trees, the dignity—

Praise the dark, the moon cradle

The sky fall, the bear sleep—

Praise the mist, the warrior name

The earth eclipse, the fired leap—

Praise the backwards, upward sky

The baby cry, the spirit food—

Praise canoe, the fish rush

The hole for frog, the upside-down—

Praise the day, the cloud cup

The mind flat, forget it all—

 

Praise crazy. Praise sad.

Praise the path on which we’re led.

Praise the roads on earth and water.

Praise the eater and the eaten.

Praise beginnings; praise the end.

Praise the song and praise the singer.

 

Praise the rain; it brings more rain.

Praise the rain; it brings more rain.

 

Joy Harjo, “Praise the Rain” from Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings.  Copyright © 2015 by Joy Harjo.  Reprinted by permission of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Source: Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings (W W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2015)