Our Future is Being Sold

Today is Young and Future Generations Day at the COP 16, a day drawing attention to the threat climate change poses to the future of this world.  In the morning youth formed a corridor which delegates had to walk through.  On the front is a picture of decidedly youthful heads withing heads, on the back is the quotation “You have been negotiating all my life. You cannot tell us that you need more time” (initially stated by Christina Ora a delegate from GetUp in the Solomon Islands during COP15).

I feel like that was a really good start to the day.  Although it was a somber start I think it counter-balanced the Youth Market we had later on in the day.  During the Youth Market the youth gathered in the youth booth area as we sold cultural symbols and lands.  It was a tongue-in-cheek reference to our view of the UNFCCC process where our future is being sold.

I feel as if, often times, the youth especially, and civil society in general, are used to give the illusion that the UN process has legitimate oversight and involvement from civil society (which is in many ways false–for example this year civil society basically has its own building separated from the delegates). Even though that is, definitely, a serious issue; I think it is also really wort exploring the satirical way which youth and civil society can frame that fact.  No one likes to be the subject of satire, but frankly the ability of it to frame an issue and to provide a way to boost morale is in many ways unparalleled.  

The truth is that country delegates, especially where fossil fuels have a large presence within government funding (etc), our selling our future.  Many of the country delegates will be dead by the time truly disastrous affects of climate change manifest, but the youth may well just be entering into middle age.  There is no time for inaction and placating, you cannot tell me you need more time.

 

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Making Something

I recently got back from the MJ Fall Summit in West Virginia on Kayford Mountain a couple of weeks ago and, as is usual at MJ events, I feel like a small bit of meaningful understanding has been added to my life.   I would have added this sooner, but I’ve been trying to figure out how to convey what happened; I decided I can’t really, so it’s going to be more of a narrative/stream of consciousness than anything else.

On Sunday I woke up at 8(ish) and the day was beautiful.  After grabbing breakfast I headed down Kayford to work some phones in case people got arrested that day, luckily no one did; and the actions they took were received very positively by the local media and many local residents.

The symbolism of the action–where people planted trees on a “reclaimed” mine site–is amazing; but, surprisingly to me, that symbolism was not the most important part of the weekend for me (you can read more about the action here: http://climategroundzero.net/2010/10/kayford-reclamation-after-release/).  While I was sitting outside my friend asked me what I was planning on doing when I graduate.  Jokingly (because that question still terrifies me) I responded with Oh I’m taking a few years off before Grad School to make something of myself. I was referring to taking time off to make money; but my friend helped to clarify things.

You mean make some money to go to Grad School, which is a fine thing to do & useful.  But we need to understand, what we’re doing here, this is making something of ourselves; our jobs, that is making money to help us make something of ourselves.

That really hit me.  For a while I have been struggling to define where I see my life going.  How do I balance the romanticized version of a young adult life that I feel so many in our generation have with the need to actually make something of myself?  Can I even find that balance?  Right now I don’t know about the balance, but I know I want to actually, and truly, make something of myself.

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One of “those” things

So, as I have mentioned before; I am going to be going to Cancun this year for the next round of climate negotiations; and, understandably, there are certain things that I need to do for that to happen: I need to get shots and medicine, I need to talk to professors, I have to contribute to the group (currently I am helping to develop campaign ideas), the list is not exhaustive; but pretty substantial, and within it is fundraising (here are the links to my crowdrise and chipin, which are the two platforms I am using right now, does anyone have any other ideas for easy online fundraising?).

I don’t know why, but I can approach people at my school to ask for money; but when I approach friends and family in a fundraising capacity there is a bad taste left in my mouth.  I still did, because, honestly, I feel like even if they can’t donate then they can forward the email to someone who can; and friends and family are a great resource, but I still didn’t like doing it.  This feeling of unease isn’t confined, though, to fundraising; I don’t like talking about money in general, it feels pretentious and needy and all different sorts of things.  When I’ve talked to other people they have said the same thing, which makes me wonder how our culture became so obsessed with money.  It’s uncomfortable, but we can so easily center our lives around it.

Personally I recognize areas in my life which are very centered on money, which I don’t feel is right; however I feel as if I can also run-away from acknowledging money which leads to problems as well (Dad and Mom, if you are reading this I am keeping a budget, I swear!).  I feel as if our culture taught proper attitudes towards money, if we didn’t idolize it but instead treated it as the tool it is; then life would be so much easier.  Of course, that is easier said than done; but I think it’s something to keep in mind.

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