Climate Change
Guide to climate change, including research resources and discipline-specific tools
Advocacy and organizing
Responses to climate change are grounded in grass-roots advocacy and organization work.
Examples of advocacy include
- educating yourself and your community
- raising awareness through events such as art displays or marches
- working within your own school, business or organization to lower emissions
- petitioning businesses to adopt practices that lower emissions
- petitioning government organizations on local, state and national level to change laws and policies
- strengthening community bonds and building resilience for ongoing organizational work
Image from Climate Mental Health Network
Beyond Doom and Gloom: Climate Solutions
Two minute video from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education about the role of student advocacy.
Advocacy resources
- Activist ToolkitThe Activist Toolkit provides the basic tools to run strong campaigns and win victories for students and the public interest. From Student Public Interest Research Groups.
- Community Climate Action ToolkitFrom the Schumacher Institute, a downloadable set of easy-to-use tools and resources to develop a group, understand your local situation, and move into meaningful action.
- Inside the MovementThe Climate Movement Newsletter & Action Toolkit
- Project Inside OutFounded by psychologist Renee Lertzman. "Project InsideOut is designed to be a rich and multi-leveled resource showcasing the materials we’ve developed to support you on your journey towards more integrated, connected, and emotionally present leadership."
- The WeekThe Week is a group experience for engaging with the climate crisis. Groups get together three times in a week for a documentary and a guided conversation.
- Talk like a human -- lessons on how to communicate climate changeGuide with 8 principles of climate communication, from Potential Energy potentialenergycoalition.org.
- What Can I Do about the Climate Emergency?From Rebecca Solnit, "Everybody’s practical guide to what they can do against climate
chaos and for a just and thriving natural and human world." 14 page pdf
Portland area organizations working towards climate solutions
- PCC Student Sustainability Hub"Explore sustainability, build community, and strengthen your skills with the Student Sustainability Hub. Our programs are designed for students who want to create positive change on campus and beyond."
- 350PDX"Our mission is to build a diverse grassroots movement to address the causes of climate disruption through justice-based solutions by inspiring, training and mobilizing people to act."
- Climate Reality Project"Our mission is to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society." "Get the tools, training, and network to fight climate change and together build the world we want." International organization with a branch in Portland.
- Divest Oregon"We are a statewide grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations representing unions with PERS members, racial and climate justice groups, youth leaders, and faith communities with the goal of calling the Oregon State Treasury to account for its funding of climate devastation rather than prudent investing in a sustainable future."
- Families for Climate - Portland"Families for Climate brings parents and youth together to take action for climate justice—in ways that are accessible, inclusive, informative and inspiring. We are building collective “parent-power”, advocating for policies and solutions to address the climate crisis, and nurturing the next generation of climate activists & leaders."
- Oregon Just Transition AllianceFrontline communities organizing for racial, economic, and climate justice.
- Portland Youth Climate Council"The Portland Youth Climate Council is a youth-powered group defending our right to a stable climate and sustainable future by shaping policy and advocating for change."
- Sunrise PDX"We're building a movement of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people."
- Verde Northwest"Verde serves communities by building environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach, and advocacy."
Climate Action Venn Diagrams
Climate action venn diagrams, designed by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, ask "How you – specifically you – can help with climate solutions."
This activity asks:
- "What are you good at? Think about your skills, resources, and networks. What are your areas of expertise? Who and what do you have access to? What can you bring to the table?
- What is the work that needs doing? Think about system-level change. Are there particular climate and justice solutions that interest you? Maybe starting a composting program, protecting forests, or getting climate candidates elected? Heaps of options.
- What brings you joy and satisfaction? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Don’t pick things that make you miserable and will burn you out! This is the long haul – find things that enliven and energize you.
Build your own climate action venn diagram.
Re-envisioning the future
- Solar punk"Solarpunk. A burgeoning movement blending aesthetics and politics that envisions a future which answers the question: “What kind of world will emerge when we finally transition to renewables?”