From Eco-Lament to Action

For people who live and work close to the land and/or seek solace with nature, it’s heartbreaking to witness the impacts of climate change on our lands, rivers, communities, and the more-than-human world.

In this workshop, we’ll talk about useful ways to channel grief into prayers, poems, essays, and letters. As an environmental reporter and writer for more than 20 years, I have experience grappling with what some people call “eco-lament.” I believe a steady practice of observing, writing, and sharing is key to thwarting despair, inaction, and cynicism.

During this workshop, you will be writing, reading some of your work aloud, and building community through peer-editing exercises. By the end of this workshop, you’ll have written a draft of a prayer, a poem, an essay, or a letter. Most importantly, you will have tools for sustained writing practice in a changing world.

Note that this is not a workshop focused on climate anxiety. That’s a very real mental challenge and if you need help, please find a professional therapist or trained counselor.

Most of this workshop will be held outside and require walking and sitting in nature. The hikes won’t be rugged, but they will require navigating trails. You’ll need to wear appropriate clothing and shoes/sneakers, as well as pack sunscreen, a hat, snacks, and water.

Since we’ll be outside, I suggest bringing a notebook and pens and pencils. And if there’s one piece of creative and organizational advice I can give writers it’s to not be precious about your notebooks. Writing is messy business.