top of page

When Hope Dies Action Starts

Writer's picture: Andrea AndersonAndrea Anderson

Endings

“When Hope Dies Action Begins”


I first heard this at the beginning of the Meaning Conference in 2019. These words were spoken by Claire Totty, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion.


These words had a profound effect on me.


Like millions of other people across the world, my belief system had a big shakeup in the decade with no real defined name….. the teenies, the tens?!


The very identity of my place of birth and continued residence has been shaken up with a seemingly simple question, that will remain unresolved for a while to come.


It did however provide a much needed wake-up call about injustice, inequality and how our values effect our identity and beliefs.


This national identity wakeup call brought a lot of anger, drama and big emotions with it….. Outrage!


And, for me, it paved the way to much bigger questions about what is happening to our planet.


“Our House is on Fire” Words powerfully spoken by a deeply courageous teenager, Greta Thunberg, that gave me an even more needed wake-up call and inspired powerful non-violent movements


“What do we want? climate action…when do we want it? NOW” were words I never would have expected to come out of my mouth, and yet they did!


I chanted these words in November 2019, on not my first, but second, protest march of the year, along with my 7 year old son and a bunch of beautiful Climate Strikers.


HOPE


“When Hope Dies Action Begins” it pierced my heart.


Because, when we hope, often we’re hoping that someone else will sort it out.


Someone else who knows about these things, they will stop this from happening, this horrific self-imposed crisis that we’ve created, us, the human race.


Because we got distracted with inventing stuff, making stuff, buying stuff, tweeting stuff, popularity stuff, consuming stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff……..


A thought, a very childish thought, kept looping in my head…… “Superman can’t fly around the planet, cooling it down, turning back time” We can’t be rescued by a super “power”


For sure, my hope that climate crisis won’t affect the way I live, or the quality of life my children have, died in that moment.


It was replaced with something more sure and certain.


Belief.


Belief


Accepting the Truth


Everyone is at different stages of acceptance.


We all have a tipping point, a point where the evidence is so clear it cannot be ignored.

In its gentlest form “I’m worried about the weather” spoken in the form of Mackenzie Crook as Worzel Gummidge.


Me too, Worzel, I had a Rose in full bloom in my garden in December and a full set of Daffodil’s proudly standing in my garden in January, this is weather and natural growth I’m used to seeing in a whole different season, Spring, in March or April.


With Climate Crisis we see it in the horrific bushfires in Australia, we see it in the floods in Indonesia, we see it in the floods in the UK.


People are losing their homes, livelihoods and yes, we now see the evidence of death as a result of climate crisis.


(Dis-em) Power


The end of 2019 forced me to examine my relationship with “Power” in the form of democracy and government.


I’ve always had a, some might say, old fashioned, view that those in power are law abiding and have the interests of the people, who voted them into power, at the forefront of the action they carry out.


I have been subservient to and reliant on the power of government to address inequality and injustice.


At 10pm on 12th December 2019 I had to accept, that my beliefs and desires, for our direction as a country are, in the minority.


I have not listened to, or watched the News since 13th December 2019. This is a small act of radical power.


I’m not switching off and tuning out, running from reality. I am choosing what I pay attention to.


Because I’ve noticed that all the noise, all the drama, all the BIG emotions of media, shouty propaganda or beliefs of others, it affects me, it makes me feel disempowered.


Just as we choose what to put into our bodies, we can also choose what we put into our mind and our soul.


Empowered; Your contribution will make a difference


This is the second part of belief; that if we all act now, our contribution will make a difference.

We can all get paralysed by an overwhelming feeling, there is just too much to be done, what can I possibly do that will make a difference to this catastrophe?


Or frozen by the scarcity, scarcity of time, scarcity of people who are prepared to act, scarcity of people in “Power” who actually care about the climate crisis, inequality and injustice.


And the belief that whatever action you take has got to be right, that you have one chance only.


I know I certainly did.


Action


I had the privilege to be part of a Climate Change Coaching Circle for 3 months where, along with a group of brilliant Coaches from around the world, I learned how I can help people get unstuck and empowered to take action on climate change.


In the process of this learning I had to wake up to some BIG emotions I had around Climate Crisis. It’s empowered me to take action, more of which I will be sharing with you soon!


Connection & Community


If I only mention one action here, that you can all relate to, then it’s this, Greta Thunberg sitting solo outside Swedish Parliament in August 2018, calling for stronger climate action, at the age of 15.

A year later millions of students across the world are taking part in Climate Strikes demanding the government act now to address the Climate Crisis.


UKCrafters United

On 4th January 2020, in response to the devasting bushfires in Australia a group of UK Crafters came together to make pouches for the animals badly injured in the fires, pouches to help them heal.

By 20th January they had 28 hubs across the country pulling together to donate fabric, to make the pouches and distribute them to Australia.


On 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed. 1,138 people died and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. That’s when Fashion Revolution started. Fashion Revolution drives public awareness around social and environmental impact of the clothes we wear.

In April 2020 it will join forces with the Global Fashion Exchange to run the largest clothes swap in history.


I could go on….. there is a lot of brilliant work happening all around us, and you too can act now and whatever you do, you will make a difference.


For more inspiring stories, of great people connecting and creating communities that are making a positive difference to our planet, check out Positive.News


We have to keep on Pushing…


I recently read an article about climate change social tipping points. It ended with a quote that I loved:


Take advantage of every opportunity to change our habits, to question what will it cost our Earth?


… we don’t know when history might unlock the door… so we have to keep on pushing.


66 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Commenti


bottom of page