大象传媒

What is the opposite of that frisson of panic that washes over you when you see a horrible story about famine in Madagascar? I think it would be that little spike of pleasure you get when you think of something unabashedly delightful and positive. Cute puppies, sure, but other things, too. The climate negatives are unceasing and visceral. They literally make my heart skip a few beats. And not in a cool, syncopated kind of way.

Which is why I鈥檝e been making this little illustrated list for a few months now, in the hopes of putting together a mini-book that might give people the pep they need to stem their mean greens to get out and do, do, do. A thing you could peek at when you need a jolt of let鈥檚 do this. After last week鈥檚 hot and heavy edition, I thought it might be nice to excerpt a few of these pep sketches this week.

Pep Sketch #52:

I think this ^^^ is a trope of mine. I found a very similar drawing I did a few years ago.

This Week

What gives you hope/comfort/energy? (Can be climate-y or not so climate-y!) Send me your thoughts if you want me to draw them!

Last Week

So many beautiful responses from all parts of the world. Thank you!

J and M and my dad caught my Leonard Cohen reference. Thank you!

L wrote about trying to teach her small Vermont town about the increasing frequency of tropical nights. They sound beautiful but can wreak havoc on places that are not prepared for them. Inspiring to hear about people doing the work in their towns and cities.

C writes: I resonated with a lot of this! The heat hasn’t been intense here in MN鈥攂ut it’s more of the existential dread, doom-scrolling, reading stories and seeing images of what’s happening around the world and in places I love so much. And the general sense that our U.S. government, which actually has a rare opportunity to act on this by stopping pipelines and passing major climate legislation, is completely effing it up. 

L writes: I told a friend yesterday that I have a weird duality of emotional states these days鈥攐ptimism as vaccination rise and case counts drop, matched by dread about the climate emergency. We know that we can make society-wide change in response to a deadly pandemic. As Sarah Miller wrote, what will it take for similar massive action to protect ourselves from the climate crisis?

L writes: Well we’re having a very rainy July. I’ve lived in Perth for 10 years and I can鈥檛 remember a period of consecutive days of rain like this. And I can relate to what you said about loving/fearing it. It鈥�s battered down, my neighbour鈥�s roof leaked, we lost power yesterday. I鈥�m glad for the rain for my plants and the plants in general and wish I had a water tank. I鈥�m scared that the wild weather will become more frequent and power cuts will be more common and do I need to have an emergency gas stove? (And then鈥攇as, arghh?!)

People Dancing

no bc Normani was DANCING

— wiLL (@willfulchaos)

And a couple really interesting reads:

In Canada鈥檚 wildfires, .

. The always excellent 鈥淗eated鈥� newsletter.

Huge problems need huge solutions. .

Hope you are happy and healthy. Have a lovely weekend wherever you are!

Sarah

P.S. This is my newsletter for the week of July 16, 2021, published in partnership with 大象传媒 Media. You can sign up to get Minimum Viable Planet newsletter emailed directly to you at .