My entire life I have felt a connection to the planet and its creatures as if there is some dimension where we all communicate without words. As a child I watched grandparents who could grow most anything and I have some of that same touch.
In the 80s I participated in Semester at Sea, a travel study program, circling the earth by ship. I visited spectacular natural wonders including the Amazon and Iguazu falls in Brazil, Tsavo and Samburu game reserves in Kenya, and the reefs around Sri Lanka. I’ve forgotten many things about that experience, but I do remember being on deck and watching the ship’s crew throw bags and bags of our garbage overboard into the world’s oceans.
My dad who was a bit of a dark person had a prepare for the worst outlook so I suppose I’ve always kept an eye out. I’ve been a voracious reader since childhood regularly drawn to futuristic imaginings of our world. My sister reads much more than me and has for years shared articles and book recommendations about the future and the climate. We have had an ongoing conversation about this stuff for more than twenty years.
Living on the gulf coast and experiencing major hurricanes has kept my interest in weather and climate pretty constant. I’ve been through Andrew, Georges, Katrina, Rita, Gustav and more. In 2021, waiting for Ida that Sunday morning had me on the verge of a panic attack. Fortunately, the storm wobbled off the predicted path and Baton Rouge had regular rather than catastrophic damage. Months before, when the ice-pocalypse struck we lost power for 97 hours. Storms knock out our power a LOT, but that was the first time we left the frozen food in the carport for days with no melting! Someone told me that before 2008’s Hurricane Gustav, Baton Rouge had the densest urban forest in the US. My heart breaks when I think of all the trees lost here since then due to storms and disease and development.
I worked for an electric utility early in my career where I learned about the weather and climate implications of producing electricity. For the record, I love electricity and use it every day. But I get it. All of this is hard.
Jane Fonda spoke at the YWCA Greater Baton Rouge’s Empower brunch in 2023. A major sponsor of the event was ExxonMobil and a 60+ year ExxonMobil employee received an award for her advocacy. A table of Exxon people sat next to the stage. Regardless, in her talk, Jane hammered ExxonMobil over and over for their role in destroying earth’s climate. So much so, the moderator asked her to tone it down. But she didn’t; she kept going undaunted. ExxonMobil has very deep roots in Baton Rouge and to see someone call them out was unusual – truly. It was the most powerful example of someone speaking truth to power I have ever personally witnessed. Even more fascinating was the lack of response from the audience and the community. It was just a blip. Let’s continue on with business as usual, keeping cancer alley poisonous, right?
Finally, summer 2023 brought us drought and even wildfires – something before now unimaginable in Louisiana. Related to this, a saltwater incursion came up the Mississippi River and New Orleans was only a few weeks away from losing its primary water source. Leaders scrambled for a solution.
During this time, I attended a virtual session on climate coaching, an entirely new concept for me. Soon after I attended an introductory call of the Climate Coaching Alliance, during which I had a complete emotional breakdown introducing myself and describing what climate change has done in Louisiana. I knew then. I had to take action. I have been studying and making changes ever since and am now a certified Climate Biodiversity Coach and a certified Louisiana Master Naturalist.
* Our awakening is our story of what brought us to this place here and now. When you are ready, it will come. From Ecological and Climate-Conscious Coaching: A Companion Guide to Evolving Coaching Practice
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