Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons/Nicolas Raymond
I’ve had quite a few conversations recently about my Twitter-tagged #music4climate, #bikes4climate and #women4climate passions. My strong belief is that they each have incredible potential for bridging larger audiences to the global climate action call – if we’d only see and AMPLIFY such efforts.
Since the organizers of this September’s Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) recently released an invite seeking more inclusive participation, let’s take them at their word and bring the call to the masses!
Here’s why I see such climate action bridging potential in those three areas:
#Music4Climate Matters: My involvement on the team helping increase the global social impact reach of the nonprofit, , community radio station, KEXP, has really opened my eyes to the potential. From what I’ve witnessed there, through human rights messaged programming like International Clash Day or the extremely moving January 20, 2017, Peace Bed-In event (yes, it did occur on U.S. inauguration day for a reason) , the solidarity of music fans is amazing. It should be considered an as-yet untapped audience for climate action. (I could go on, but I am trying to keep these posts shorter.)
#Bikes4Climate Matter: I’ve been tweeting with the #bikes4climate tag for a while now, too, due to my own long history with this mode of transportation. Increasing urban “pedal power” as a real GHG reduction force should be taken seriously by ALL cities claiming to prioritize climate action. As with music, those who already bike are committed to the practice, and likely ready – as a community – to help make the idea of biking more accessible to a much broader audience. Bike share, electric bikes and the masses you likely see riding into town each day, wherever you live or lead, should be on your climate action radar. I’m talking to all of you, #cities4climate ! (See Project Drawdown for one “map” of carbon reduction from eBikes alone.)
#Women4Climate Matter: The ways that women tend to lead, with more attention on inclusiveness and collaboration, is far beyond a simple “women’s issue.” It’s actually a super smart business take from any angle, and one that continues to become more critical for climate action as well. Women leading cities, especially, are absolutely primed for developing leadership platforms on the topic. But, very few cities seem to be taking that step,…yet. Within THIS community lies perhaps the most potential ever. (For more on my own background on this front, see my 2011 post, Gender and the Sustainable Brain , and my recent blog post on current research on the POWER of women for leading on the SDGs.)
There are organizations and influencers that do contribute to each of the above topics in some fashion, but they do not appear to be connecting with one another enough to realize where or how they can BRIDGE for greater impact. My mission is to be a human/social link – or the bridge to the bridging power of climate action, if you will – so that organizations really start to SEE the connections that await.
When it comes to climate action, I will NOT STOP pointing out how can all do a lot better with both cause/campaign communications strategies and our collaboration or partnership efforts. Nonprofits, NGOs, governments and corporations: I am looking at you.
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If your organization is committed to making real change through affiliation with the Global Climate Action Summit in September, now is the time to start engaging community and building your platforms. The networks and climate action influence I’ve been developing for the past few years are ready to be activated. If increasing your organization’s climate action impact has become a strategic priority, let me know if you could use my social engagement guidance.
