Transcript: Climate Quickie: What’s in and what’s out? Climate Week NYC takeaways
TEDxLondon Climate Curious
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Funghi, fossil fuels, finger pointing… we spoke to four environmentalists LIVE at Climate Week NYC to give you the scoop on what’s in, and what’s out, in the world of climate.
Listen now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS | Android
TRANSCRIPT
Ben Hurst 0:01
This is climate curious, the podcast for people who are bored, scared or confused by climate change.
Maryam Pasha 0:08
I’m Erin Pasha, the director and curator Hotel in London and the co host of this podcast alongside the amazing Ben.
Ben Hurst 0:14
Hi, I’m Ben hearse, activist and advocate exploring what positive masculinities can look like, and self confessed climate Normie we joined activists storytellers and futurists for an afternoon of talks, music and presentations on the many possible futures growing from ecologies of collapse at the Symbios scene in Brooklyn, New York City, hosted by our friends over at queer brown vegan and nowadays on. We hear from Wawa Katherine Willow Diffa, Kalpana Orion and Isaias Hernandez PS. The term symbioses was coined by environmental philosopher Glenn outbreak. And inspired by this term, we believe that we can rewrite the stories of ecologies in collaboration with the superseed podcast, we sat down with some of the panellists for a little behind the scenes chat on what’s been in and what’s been out during climate week, NYC 2023, you can listen to the full panel discussion over on supersedes podcast feed, follow the link in this episode’s description. And remember, stay curious. Hello, nice to see you. We’re here climate curious has made it to New York. We are here for New York climate week, we finally touchdown. And we’re at the symbiosis panel event. I’m joined by Willow. Well done. First of all, absolutely spectacular job gave a fantastic answer. So some kind of question about horizons and things that you are feeling passionate about, which included the answer being mushrooms or fungi. Anyway, that aside, if you want to know what the answer was, you’re gonna have to listen to the panel, you will find it in the episode bio below. But I want to ask you in the spirit of being in New York, obviously, New York Fashion Week has just passed. People are always talking about what’s in and what’s out during fashion week. And my question to you is in climate week, that same thing, what’s in and what’s out?
Willow Defebaugh 2:20
I love this question. I’m going to start with what’s out which, in the context of environment, environmentalism, what I want to say is what’s out is making people wrong. I think there’s so much gatekeeping in the environmental movement, and so much of that comes from pointing fingers. It’s an important part of activism to tell people what’s working and what’s not working. But we also want to be inviting people into this space. We need more every day, imperfect environmentalists, than we need perfect environmentalists who devote their entire days and time to this cause we need every single person involved and invited. And part of that means inviting people out of shame that often comes with pointing fingers. So without is making people wrong. What’s in is getting curious, which means creating a environment in which learning is what’s prioritised inviting people to come into environmentalism through a lens of curiosity. Well, how are my everyday actions impacting the planet? How are my everyday actions impacting other people? What solutions do exist that I can implement on the local level? On the personal level? I think when people assume and make judgement calls, especially about the climate crisis, that’s where we can lead to a lot of thinking around despair, which can be really paralysing, when we actually can stay open and curious to say, you know, we really actually don’t know where this story is going to go. We don’t know exactly what the future holds. That’s where we can actually create the space for possibility. And that goes hand in hand with curiosity. So what’s in his curiosity? Willow?
Ben Hurst 3:56
Such good answers what’s out is shame. Despair, what’s in is curiosity and questioning. I love it.
Wawa Gatheru 4:08
Hi, everyone, my name is Wawa. I identify as a Gen Z climate activist. I’ve been in the climate space since I was 15 years old, so almost 10 years. And I’m the proud founder and executive director of a national organisation called Black Girl environmentalist. And we’re all about creating infrastructures of care around black women and black gender expansive folks in the climate movement to make sure that there’s equitable pathways for us to enter into climate, and then also infrastructure for us to stay. So I’m really excited to talk to you today.
Ben Hurst 4:41
In the spirit of being in New York. I’m going to ask you a question. And the question is, when it’s New York Fashion Week, which is just past, people always ask the question about what’s in and what’s out for Fashion Week, I asked the same question, but in relation to climate week, what’s in and what’s out for climate
Wawa Gatheru 5:02
What’s out is perfect activism because it doesn’t exist, doesn’t exist, folks. What’s in is imperfect activism. It’s appreciating our whole selves and what we can bring into this movement understanding that we’re all multifaceted beings, and creating spaces where we’re able to show up authentically, because the reality is, is that our organising spaces and the spaces that we’re cultivating in our climate spaces are supposed to look and feel like the just climate future we’re building. And if we don’t create spaces that allow us to show up as our full selves, then what are we building towards?
Ben Hurst 5:45
If we’re not creating spaces that are allowing us to show up as our full selves, then what are we building? I feel, I feel like literally every single thing that you say, so we’re gonna have to do this again. We’ll get you to come on for a full episode. And until the next time remember, stay curious. Climate curious has landed in New York or New York climate week. We’re here we’re super excited. Who are you? What do you do? What are you doing today?
Kalpana Arias 6:16
Hello, I’m Kalpana I am and the founder of nowadays on Earth, a social enterprise advocating for contact with nature. And I am a multi hyphenated human being. I’m a urban greening activist, as well as a gardener and a technologist. And today I was co hosting the Symbios scene with ACS Hernandez from queer bound vegan, which is basically a place to show up in solidarity and think about the possible new futures are emerging from collapse.
Ben Hurst 6:41
Thank you so much for joining us, cabana. So what’s in and what’s out for New York climate week,
Kalpana Arias 6:48
I say collective solidarity. There was a visceral energy during the march. And I think at every event I’ve been through, there’s this sense of togetherness in a way that I’ve never felt so palpable before. In terms of what’s out fossil fuels, it’s the end of fossil fuels. And I think, just cut it out. We don’t need it in our world as much as we think we do. And the addiction needs to stop. Listen,
Ben Hurst 7:14
you heard it here first. Just cut it out is done. It’s over. Let it go. Let it die. So thank you. So we’ve made it to New York climate curious is here. We finally touchdown for New York climate week. We’re just at the end of the Symbio seen panel event. I’m joined by Isaias, who was one of the panellists.
Isaias Hernandez 7:40
My name is Isaiah tandas. I’m an environmental educator and the content creator of queer brown vegan, and I produce independent environmental media education.
Ben Hurst 7:49
And you are a seasoned professional. It’s not your first rodeo with us, not your first time on the podcast. So excited to have you back. But two years, what is in and what is our inclimate I
Isaias Hernandez 8:01
think what’s in for New York climate week is mythology, and what’s out it some of the simple things about how to empower the next generation. And I say this, because I’m not trying to say those conversations are not new, I do believe they’re always needed and will continue to exist. However, I think as someone that’s been in the space for so long, I’ve often felt that I’ve had to reject the spirituality side of myself. And so with the Symbios scene specifically, I’ve always believed that mythologies do not just exist in history. They exist right now. And that’s something that I’ve been writing is making my own life into my mythology in my environmental work.
Ben Hurst 8:42
I say this man, thank you so much for Listen, this is just a flavour of the discussions that were being had on the panel earlier. If you’d like to listen to any more of those discussions. You can find the panel linked in the episode guide below. And thank you for joining us today. And remember, stay curious. Thank you for joining us this week. We really hope you enjoyed this episode. If
Maryam Pasha 9:07
you did, please hit the Follow button to make sure you get next week’s release.
Ben Hurst 9:11
We are now officially crowdsourcing climate confessions. So please leave yours in the ratings in the review section. And we’ll shut up a few next time. And shout out to our fabulous team behind the
Maryam Pasha 9:24
pod. This episode was produced by Josie Coulter I wrote designed by Rebecca Ming is curation by Marian Pasha mixing engineers by Ben Beheshti music also by Ben Beheshti presented by Ben Hurst and Marian Pasha.
Ben Hurst 9:38
Remember, stay curious
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