THE FLOWERS ARE BURNING: WITH THE ENERGY AND ACTIVISM OF SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, ACTIVISTS AND REGULAR CITIZENS
We cannot turn away in despair or allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the immensity of the problem. There is hope. People all over the world are working together to bring attention to the realities of the impacts of Climate Change; to work to mitigate it, to find ways to adapt to the changes that have already happened in ways that have social justice at there core.
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN IN WHATEVER WAY MAKES SENSE TO YOU.
In these pages we share a few of the ways other people have decided to take action and work toward to make the changes we need today to have the tomorrow we want for the world, ourselves, generations to come.
WHY ART?
On one hand we are using the beauty of art to lure you in to have an aesthetic experience. On the other we hope to engage your heart and your brain to help us solve the enormous problem the world is grappling with. We are artists, so this is one of the ways our skills can be contributed to the effort.
We know how very hard it is to embrace the size of the problem of climate change. As artists, we know that art making is a way for us to think about things we may not have words for. We also know it is one way to approach traumatic experiences on an individual level and find our way back from them. We recognize that the issues of climate change can be traumatic.
We discovered the "The Foundation for Art & Healing. It explores the relationship between health and creative expression through rigorous, scientific research. It empowers individuals, communities, and vulnerable populations coping with challenging conditions like trauma and chronic illness, through direct, innovative programs and tools. The organization engages, informs, and inspires these populations and the ever-growing arts and healing community, building awareness through leadership, shared stories of “art and healing,” and original creative works.
Why not see how this process can work in our own communities, all over the world? We believe art can communicate to the public about the current climate crises. Scientists agree human influence is paramount in explaining climate change, but the public at large is not necessarily drawn to science education. Perhaps art’s power to touch the emotions of the audience will be effective. Perhaps the insights communicated in images and metaphor will open mental and emotional doors by communicating in ways that have not been fully achieved by science communication. One of the scientists we spoke with in our own research told us "what you are doing is almost more important that what we are doing, because people will listen to you."