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or what food to buy—have significant consequences. Perhaps more importantly is how we chose to spend our time and with whom. Whether we choose to write a letter to our elected official, engage in our community or with an environmental organization, or to protest. These decisions are critical factors in whether those in power will feel the will and the support to make the hard decisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve what’s left of the wild. We need to be bold, to be creative, to step up and be willing to take risks to make change. In the end it is clear to me that we need to live every moment remembering that we are responsible today not only for what we do but for what we don’t do.

Tzeporah Berman is the co-founder of ForestEthics and the co-director of Greenpeace International’s Global Climate and Energy Program. Tzeporah was one of the experts interviewed in Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental documentary The 11th Hour, was one of six Canadian nominees for the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and has been profiled as one of “50 Visionaries Changing the World” in Utne Reader. She blogs on www.zerocarboncanada.ca and can be found on Twitter at www.twitter/tzeporah.

Coping with New Realities

LINDA BUZZELL

Like Neo in the film The Matrix, perhaps you’re waking up to the true extent of the challenges we humans face at this point in history. Some call this the “oh shit!” moment. Now what do we do? How can we enjoy life on a day-to-day basis in light of what we are beginning to understand about the truly terrifying collective disasters and challenges headed our way?

I’d like to share some of the advice that I give my psychotherapy and ecotherapy clients who are in the process of experiencing what Dr. Sarah Anne Edwards and I have dubbed “the waking-up syndrome”:

Be gentle with yourself. This is a lot to take in. Most of what we thought we knew about living is turning out not to be true. We’re bombarded with unwelcome news on a daily basis. Global warming. Fossil-fuel depletion. Animal extinctions. Resource wars. Economic instability. Poisoning of our environment. Corporate crimes. Renewed nuclear threats. Many of us are now worrying about the damage we do with every mile we drive, bite we eat, and imported jacket we wear. Old dreams and illusions shatter. Eco-guilt and eco-anxiety rise. We go in and out of denial, just as Neo does in The Matrix. Sometimes we just want to block it all out and party. Sometimes we’re fired up to take action. Sometimes we’re just depressed. It’s all part of the process, so “easy does it.”

Be patient with your loved ones and co-workers. Once you’re awake, it’s tempting to become a modern-day Paul Revere, obsessed with the news, crying out to one and all about what’s headed our way. I’ve seen a number of friends and clients succumb to this, neglecting the rest of their lives and their loved ones and even their own safety as they dig for the truth and spread the word to others. A few divorces have resulted. It’s important to face some home truths: your kids may not want to give up McDonald’s; your spouse may not share your concerns for the fate of the planet or your enthusiasm for new solutions; your co-workers may still prefer paper and plastic to ceramic cups. Just try to “be the change you want to see” and don’t attempt to convert everyone you know. Many more folks will wake up or get involved as time goes on and conditions worsen, but it’s important to let them do so in their own way and time.

Don’t linger too long in the negativity and the problems without getting into positive action. Eco-philosopher Joanna Macy suggests that those of us who are concerned about what’s happening on our planet will be able to protect our sanity and balance our lives if we engage in three types of activities simultaneously. Here’s my simplification of what she recommends:

Resist what’s wrong. Get involved in (or start) a group that speaks up against one or two things that are destructive. But don’t try to save the whole world all at once.

Build what’s right. Create