Thread by @ClimatePsych

How could we protect humanity and the natural world at this late hour?
A thread.

There is still a brief opportunity for humanity to wake up and fight back against the accelerating climate and ecological crises with everything we have.

If the the United States and other countries mobilized like we did for WWII- huge investment of resources, strong command and control regulations, all hands on deck participation- we could accomplish absolutely amazing things:

A ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure and exploration, followed by a 10-year planned early retirement of our existing fossil fuel capacity. Massive renewable energy production and national conservation project -winterizing every home and building- to keep the lights on.

A zero emissions standard on all new vehicles, starting now. A 5 year transition to all regenerative agriculture. A build out of a high speed rail system and a drastic curtailment of aviation. These are just examples. There would be many, many more policies like these.

Policies would need to create rapid change in all areas of life. They would not always be convenient or pleasant. But it would be SO worth it- because it would give us a fighting chance at survival.

But, one might say- how could we POSSIBLY achieve these policies? Is this merely an environmentalist pipe dream?
To achieve them we need one thing:
A national consensus that the #climateeemergency threatens us all, personally. Me, you, my family, your family: everybody.

That is the only way we would accept, and even demand, the forceful regulation and emergency mobilization that we need.
Without that national consensus- and the FEAR that comes with that understanding- we will continue getting weak-tea gradualist policies, such as carbon pricing.

These gradualist policies cannot possibly protect humanity and the living world, and we should stop acting like they can.

There is a prominent idea in the climate movement that “we can’t scare people” and “fear doesn’t work as a motivator.”

This is.... wrong, to say the least.
And it has been absolutely devastating to our success.

This idea has been SO damaging to our collective efficacy that it makes me seriously wonder if the fossil fuel industry had a hand in spreading it. (Is their a sleuth out there who wants to look into this and see what it’s origins and funding sources were?)

Or, maybe its merely a legacy of the culture of science- that prefers to keep things “rational” and is generally uncomfortable with feelings. Whatever the origin, we need to drop this idea like a hot potato, and get comfortable with fear and other feelings!

Of course we should be afraid- We are facing the apocalypse!
We are heading straight into collapse of civilization and the living world! Billions of lives are at risk, including yours.

None of this is easy. People need help processing their feelings of terror, grief, anger, and guilt. They need fellowship and support. They need guidance in turning their feelings into effectively joining the Climate Emergency Movement.

That’s to offer in my book: Facing the Climate Emergency: How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth. A guidebook for reckoning with the climate emergency, facing your fear and other feelings, and using that pain as fuel for effective action.

That is the goal of the book: turning your pain into power for the climate emergency movement. This crisis calls for a drastic break with “business as usual” starting with YOU!

Please consider supporting or pre-ordering. Kickstarter supporters will get a copy of the ebook MONTHS before anyone else gets it.

kickstarter.com/projects/trans…