Grateful Greetings
Shorter newsletter this week. In the spirit of an attitude of gratitude for what we have(itude), we’re resharing the Green Theory from last Tofurkey day. Below, you’ll find few fresh links to content, if you’re still looking for more to read and reflect on this long weekend.
We’re grateful for YOU, dear reader.
What we’re reading this week:
Reasons for deep gratitude to Indigenous peoples this season
Why the cruelty toward turkeys today might go away before a veg global diet
Read or listen to how an entire nation achieves a high standard of living with one fifth of the per-capita emissions of the US
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Green Theory
Thanksgreening (Repost)
Wishing you a happy and safe holiday, with three Green Theory appetizers, based in-part on Katharine Hayhoe’s Saving Us.
Center native people and honor their histories. Erasure of indigenous peoples relates both with the dominant narrative around Thanksgiving, and forces exacerbating the climate crisis. Wherever you are, it’s always a good time to learn about local history, acknowledge the land’s people, and look for organizations that support indigenous sovereignty and restorative relationships with nature. [Added 2022: read the first linked article above for more on this topic!]
Keep it relatable. The diverse impacts of climate change threaten many distinct parts of our ways of life today. If your holiday dinner table invites climate deniers, you may be better off avoiding the subject. Debating for scientific fact will often leave identities feeling threatened. Instead, learn what issues are important to those around you, and let those discoveries guide your conversation. It’s likely climate connects to what they value.
Practice gratitude. Giving thanks stages a revolt against greed-accelerated climate change. Rejecting the consumerist, anxious drive for more, we instead appreciate what is already around us. Gratitude must be deliberately cultivated, and it requires effort to divorce the joy of thankfulness from dread about what may come. That’s important when we reflect on our relationship with nature in 2021--we can take stock and appreciate the biodiversity we enjoy today, even when many species will go extinct in the coming years. Lastly, consider whether or how participation in Black Friday aligns with your practice of gratitude and values around sustainable stewardship of the planet.
The Closer
Big thanks to you all! Hope this piece brings a renewed feeling of gratitude.