Climate Strike - the path to change

The purpose of the 500 Women Scientists Climate Strike Campaign was to show solidarity with our youth as they strive to impel action to protect our planet and its resources.  Young women like Greta Thunberg and Autumn Peltier have been spearheading the environmentalist fight by speaking their truth in a way that rouses and motivates us.  They and others like them are a testament to how one person can make a difference.  Using various methods to engage others and to raise awareness, they inspire people to change.

Change is difficult.  It’s hard enough to change ourselves, so how can we change others?  Simply presenting relevant information - or even the facts - is more often than not ineffectual when it comes to behavior modification.  On the other hand, sharing our stories and experiences can have transformative effects.  Connecting to others is one of our most powerful vehicles for inspiring change. 

It is for this reason that I accepted an invitation to share the story that inspired me to change for the Bonn Pod Climate Teach-In.  Originally, I had decided only to write an article about a new environmental art exhibit that had been on everyone’s lips.  Arcadia Earth was touted as a next generation experience which offered “a powerful, intimately personal exploration of the plight of our planet through human scale art installations and the futuristic lens of augmented and virtual reality”.  Sounded pretty good.

What was even better and more inspirational, I discovered, was the journey of its founder and creative director.  His was an extraordinary story.  A famous industrial designer with a sky-rocketing trajectory, one day he vowed not to continue with his work until he could “build a platform or a concept that would inspire people to care about the environment.” 

His journey started with the realization that through his work he was contributing to a tremendous amount of pollution.  He decided he had to change. Then he met Paul Hawken, the author of the New York Times bestseller Drawdown, from whom he learned that people eschewed the climate crisis because conversation about sustainability was predictably very negative.  People avoid doomsday scenarios, they feel overwhelmed, and wonder how one person could effect any appreciable change on such a big problem. 

From that day forward, he took action.  He worked diligently for two years, engaged scientists and artists, and threw all his resources into realizing his vision. Today, thousands of people are inspired to change as they visit Arcadia Earth, a unique educational and empowering space that proves each person can make a difference.

Read about Valentino Vettori’s journey and Arcadia Earth here .

©Rowshanak Hashemiyoon