image credit | Eddie Kopp

In Episode 16, Thomas and Panu had an enlightening conversation with Elin Kelsey, environmental educator and author of Hope Matters. Panu and Elin spoke of their collaborations in Finland and the importance of taking time for reflection in the “culture of urgency” we have about climate change. Elin shared the concept of “solutions journalism” and noted that only 2-3% of news we hear about climate change discusses currently available solutions. The insight is that a scarcity of hope is also a perceptual issue—given the problem-oriented biases of academia, journalism and scientific reports, we do not get enough positive information to feed a healthy sense of hope about progress addressing the climate emergency. Panu, Elin and Thomas considered early examples of hope practices, the current solutions-focused influencing of Tik-Tok science educator Alaina Wood (aka The Garbage Queen), detours like “bright-siding” and toxic forms of hope and negativity, and the healthy place for moments of hopelessness in our flow of emotions as they can signal when an old path is done and new path needs to begin. Join us and update your ideas about hope! 

• Elin Kelsey and Hope Matters

• Elin’s work with social media influencers

• Video of a recent event with Elin, Panu and others in Helsinki 

• Finland's Climate University (openly available online courses)

• Solutions Journalism Story Tracker

• Tik Tok science communicator Alaina Wood and her upbeat, positive climate news

• Thomas and Alaina and NBC’s Gadi Schwartz speaking at recent Aspen Ideas Festival

• Thomas recognizes Dick and Jeanne Roy, longtime Portland, Oregon environmental activists and their “Practice of Hope” workshops dating to 2005. See 2011 video

• On what “meaning in life” means… (simply put: a life that is worthy of attention, has a  purpose and makes sense).

• Psychologist and activist Joel Vos’ book on Meaning of life (Panu’s recommendation) and his online video about the topic 

• Panu’s two articles about hope, despair and tragedy: “Environmental Education After Sustainability: Hope in the Midst of Tragedy” (2017) and “Eco-anxiety, Tragedy, and Hope” (2018)

• Darren Webb on “Modes of Hoping” 

Forthcoming.